Bad Boys, Bad Boys
by Doctor Sexy
Summary: Jeremy has a lot to deal with as the new school year comes about including a jerk ex-boyfriend, grieving his parents, and his worsening health. He thought he had lost the ability to trust, but will Damon Salvatore change his mind? AU, everyone's human, Deremy.
1. Chapter 1

**Rated T for Language and Drug Use. Possibly to be rated M later.**

* * *

Jeremy handed Vicki two little white pills. Vicki smiled at him. "If you weren't such a massive queer, I would screw you in a heartbeat, Little Gilbert."

"Yeah, well if you had a dick, I still wouldn't fuck you," Jeremy said sourly.

"What's going your knickers in a twist?" Vicki asked.

Jeremy didn't answer. In truth, he had plenty of reasons to be pissy, but he didn't want to talk about it. Vicki wasn't exactly the supportive type.

"Hey, fag!" Tyler yelled. "What are you doing talking to my girlfriend?"

Jeremy shrugs. "What difference does it make? It's not like I'm trying to do her."

"What now she's not good enough for you?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler, back off," Vicki warned.

"No, I won't back off," Tyler said pushing Jeremy back. "I don't like this kid."

"And you're a prize yourself," Jeremy countered.

Tyler punched Jeremy in the face.

"Tyler!" Vicki shouted.

Suddenly the hottest guy Jeremy had ever seen in his life came over. He had to be new, Jeremy would have remembered a face like that. "Hey, what's going on here?" He didn't wait for an answer before punching Tyler square in the jaw.

"What are you his boyfriend or something?" Tyler asked.

"Not yet," the boy said with a wink in Jeremy's direction.

"God, why are there so many fags at our school?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler, it isn't worth it," Vicki said. She lead him away.

"How do you know I didn't deserve a punch in the face?" Jeremy asked.

"I heard him call you a fag," the boy said. "Not exactly punch-worthy in my books. I'm Damon Salvatore."

"Jeremy Gilbert."

"Are you actually gay, or is that guy just a douche?" Damon asked.

"Both," Jeremy offered.

"Is the whole school like that?" Damon asked.

"Nah," Jeremy said. "Tyler's the worst of them."

"I'm going to make his life a living hell," Damon decided out loud.

"Don't you have better things to do with your time?" Jeremy asked.

"Nope, not particularly," Damon said.

Jeremy sat down on a picnic table, wondering why this guy was still talking to him. Despite Damon's protests that he didn't have anything important to do, Jeremy was sure someone this attractive could do whatever the hell they wanted. He pulled a joint out of his pocket and lit up. "You want some?" he asked Damon.

"I don't smoke," Damon said. "Weed or cigarettes."

"Cigarettes are bad for you," Jeremy said taking a puff. "Weed just makes you stupid."

Damon nodded and took a seat next to Jeremy. "Your eye looks pretty bad."

Jeremy reached into his backpack and found sunglasses. He put them on to hide the bruising. "It's alright." In truth, his eye was fine, but his head was pounding like someone had been hammering on it for days. But it almost always felt like that these days.

"Do you have friends?" Damon asked.

Jeremy did not have an acceptable answer to that. But it didn't matter because he was about to be sick and had to leave anyway. "I gotta go." He ran to the washroom and vomited. He had been vomiting a lot lately, mostly because his head hurt so much. He hadn't bothered to go to the doctor for it, he had just self-medicated with weed and booze. Of course, the booze had a habit of making things worse the next day.

He took his sunglasses off and looked into the mirror. The bruise was more than just a little bad. It was black and purple and swollen. _Dammit_, Jeremy thought. _Elena is going to have something to say about this._

* * *

Elena walked into school, looking for Bonnie. She found her by the water fountain. "Bonnie!" she said excitedly. She had hardly seen Bonnie over the summer, because she had been distracted by her parents death. But she missed Bonnie and was glad to see her, even if that meant starting another year of school.

"Elena!" Bonnie said, turning to hug her. "How are you feeling?'

"I'm fine," Elena lied.

"Good," Bonnie said. "Good. You have to see the cute new guy."

"Where?" Elena asked. Bonnie took her to the end of the hallway where an attractive guy was standing. "Hi, I'm Elena," she said, introducing herself.

"I'm Stefan Salvatore," the guy said. "And your friend...?"

"Bonnie. It's not important. I'll leave you two to it," she said walking away.

"What was that about?" Stefan asked.

"She thinks we should date," Elena said.

"Based on what?" Stefan asked.

"Well, I'm attractive. You're attractive. So it just adds up," Elena said.

"Does it?" Stefan said smiling. "Well, I'm going to have to pass on this one."

"You'll regret it," Elena said, regretting embarrassing herself. She was going for flirty, but had just come off conceited. She made her way to class, avoiding eye contact with those who had witnessed the scene.

* * *

Jeremy thought about going back to find Damon, but he didn't want to answer questions about his life. _Damon wouldn't like me if he knew me, anyway_, Jeremy thought. Besides, he had learned that good looking guys could be dangerous.

So he headed to first class, English. He sat at the front of the class, waiting for the rest of the students to show up. Another new guy came and sat next to him. He was cute, but he was straight as an arrow, Jeremy could tell. Damon on the other hand... Well, Jeremy wasn't certain at all.

"What happened to your eye?" the new guy asked.

Jeremy silently cursed. Apparently it was bad enough that the sunglasses wouldn't hide it. "I fell down the stairs. What do you think happened?"

"Someone punched you?" the other guy guessed.

"Yeah, someone punched me," Jeremy confirmed.

Mr. Roberts came in the classroom and started it off. "Let's start with attendance."

Jeremy zoned out until he heard his name. "Here," he said.

"Rebekah Mikaelson?"

"Here, Mr. Roberts," Rebekah said. Jeremy looked around in spite of himself to see her.

Mr. Roberts called a few more names before he said, "Stefan Salvatore?"

"Here," the new guy said.

"You're Damon's brother?" Jeremy asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Stefan said, with a crinkled nose.

"I saw him punch this guy in the face today," Jeremy commented.

"I'm not surprised," Stefan said.

"Boys, can we get on with the class?" Mr. Roberts asked.

* * *

It was lunch, which Jeremy had dreaded the most. He scanned the tables, searching for somewhere to sit. At one table sat Rebekah, and Klaus Mikaelson. Rebekah waved at Jeremy. _No,_ Jeremy thought. _Under no circumstances am I sitting there_. At another table sat Vicki and Matt Donovan which would be okay, if Tyler Lockwood weren't sitting with them. Elena sat with Caroline and Bonnie, which would be where Jeremy would have opted to sit, if it weren't for the shiner he did not want to explain to his sister. At a different table sat Damon and Stefan Salvatore. If Stefan really didn't like his brother, why were they sitting together? Jeremy decided that he might as well sit there.

He took a seat next to Damon.

"So, I'll take that as a big fat no then," Damon said.

"Take what as a big fat no?" Stefan asked confused.

"I asked Jeremy here earlier if he had any friends," Damon said. "And I'm guessing if he had friends he'd be sitting with them."

Jeremy immediately regretted his choice of sitting with Damon. Maybe he was a jerk after all.

"What my brother means to say is that we'll be your friends, Jeremy," Stefan said, smiling with his mouth but glaring at Damon with his eyes.

"God, do you have to be so gay, Stefan?" Damon said, pretending to barf.

"Somebody's a giant hypocrite," Jeremy pointed out.

"Why?" Stefan asked.

"He punched this guy's lights out for calling me a fag, but he has no problem using gay as an insult," Jeremy said.

"It's supposed to be ironic," Damon explained. "Since I'm actually the one that's gay."

Jeremy frowned. "It's still offensive."

"Damon can dish it, but can't take it," Stefan explained.

"So if I called Damon a fag, he'd probably punch me in the face," Jeremy said.

"That doesn't count," Damon said. "You're a fag, too."

"So now you're allowed to call me a fag?" Jeremy asked.

"It's okay to say if you're gay," Damon said.

"No, it isn't," Jeremy and Stefan said at the same time.

"Fine," Damon yelled. "Well then why don't I just say that Jeremy Gilbert is a homosexual!"

"Everyone already knows that," Jeremy said, unfazed. "Damon Salvatore is a queer!" he yelled even louder than Damon as a challenge.

"Careful," Damon warned. "People might think we're dating or something."

"I'm so scared," Jeremy said sarcastically.

Stefan just looked back and forth between the two of them, enjoying the show. "Stefan Salvatore is embarrassed to be associated with both of them!" he said, but not loud enough for many people to hear.

Klaus got up from his seat and walked over. "Klaus, don't," Rebekah said after him.

"Damon, is it?" Klaus asked.

"What's it to you?" Damon said, glaring at him.

"Could you please just go away?" Jeremy begged.

"I came to warn you," Klaus said.

"That won't be necessary," Damon said, staring him down.

"Stay away from Jeremy Gilbert," Klaus said.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, I hope you liked it. The second chapter will be up tomorrow. Please let me know other ships you want besides Deremy. The second chapter is pretty weird, just a warning.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Stay away from Jeremy Gilbert."

Before Damon could respond to whatever pompous douchebag had said that, Jeremy had bolted from the table. "Why don't you make me," Damon dared the stranger as he hurried to catch up to Jeremy. He made it just in time to see Jeremy steer into the men's washroom.

When he found Jeremy crying, he wasn't sure whether to turn away or to stay. "I thought Tyler was the worst of them," he said stupidly.

Jeremy wiped at his eyes. "Klaus is a different story entirely."

"Do you like him or something?" Damon asked, hoping to God Jeremy hadn't fallen for such a jerk.

Jeremy shook his head. "Not anymore."

Damon cracked his knuckles angrily. Why was he so protective of this kid he had barely met? Was it because Jeremy reminded him of himself?

"Can you keep a secret?" Jeremy asked.

Damon nodded. He was able to keep secrets when he needed to.

"Klaus is my ex," Jeremy said. "But you can't tell anybody that. Nobody knows."

"That jerk?" Damon said.

"I didn't know he was a jerk," Jeremy said. "He was nice when we were alone."

"But he didn't want to come out?" Damon inferred.

"No, and he ditched me when I did, and pretends he hates me now," Jeremy said.

"I'll kill him," Damon said.

Jeremy shook his head. "You don't have to beat everyone up who treats me like shit. You'll get pretty fucking tired." Damon stayed silent. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Why not?" Damon said, deflecting. Jeremy just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I get into a lot of fights," Damon admitted.

"Punching people doesn't change anything," Jeremy said.

"It makes me feels better, and them feel worse," Damon said.

"Does it really make you feel better?" Jeremy asked.

"A little," Damon said honestly.

The bathroom door opened. "Is everything alright in here?" Stefan asked.

"Go away, we're doing gay people stuff," Damon said sarcastically.

"You're not seriously having sex in the school washroom," Stefan said disappointedly.

"No, we're having a tea party Stefan!" Damon said sassily.

"Gross," Stefan said, closing the door.

Jeremy laughed. "Does he seriously think we're having sex in here?"

"Probably," Damon said. "He'd believe pretty much anything."

Just then the toilet flushed. A guy walked out and smiled at Jeremy.

"Kol?" Jeremy said nervously. "You've been here the whole time?"

"It's cool," Kol said. "I already knew you were screwing around with my brother."

"Klaus is your brother?" Damon said distastefully.

"Twin brother," Jeremy said.

"He's a dick," Kol said cheerfully.

"Are you going to wash your fucking hands?" Jeremy said.

"Chill out, dude," Kol said. "I don't care about your issues or whatever."

"You're not going to tell anybody what you heard," Damon said, glaring at Kol.

Kol nodded and washed his hands. "I don't know why you don't tell people about Klaus anyway. It would serve him right if everybody knew."

"No one would believe me," Jeremy said.

"Maybe," Kol said, shrugging. "So anyway, whatcha guys doing in the bathroom?"

"Smoking weed," Jeremy said.

"And crying," Damon added.

"Sounds like a party," Kol said.

"Yeah, well you're not invited," Damon said.

"It's a school washroom, you can't just decide to take over it," Kol said.

Jeremy sits down and pulls out some actual weed. He lights it and inhales deeply. "Want some?" he asked Kol.

"Sure," Kol said taking the joint.

"Give me that," Damon said jealously. He took a puff. It actually didn't taste bad. And it wasn't like he was against drinking. Why was pot so much different?

"I don't smoke weed," Jeremy said, imitating Damon.

"Shut up," Damon said.

They passed in a circle a few times. "Shit," Kol said. "I haven't done this in a while."

"So when does this start kicking in?" Damon asked.

"You should be feeling it now," Jeremy said.

"I feel fine," Damon said.

"Yeah, that's generally how being high feels," Jeremy said. "As opposed to feeling like shit."

"Huh," Damon said.

The bell rang. "We should probably go to class," Damon said.

"Fuck class," Jeremy said.

"Okay," Damon said amiably.

"So who is this kid?" Kol asked Jeremy.

"Damon," Jeremy responded. "He's new."

"You're alright," Kol said to Damon without any apparent reason.

"You know we should do this more often," Damon said. "Hang out just the three of us."

"Dude, I met you today," Jeremy said, laughing. "And pretty much we've hung out the whole time. Clingy, much?"

"Gosh, you're pretty," Damon said to Jeremy.

"You've never smoked before have you?" Jeremy said, laughing.

"Did you just call him pretty?" Kol asked. "That's hilarious."

"No, I said goth juror preppy," Damon said.

"That's barely even words," Jeremy commented.

"Well don't give me drugs if you want me to act normal!" Damon said.

Elena walked into the men's washroom. "Jeremy!" she yelled.

"Hey," Jeremy said. "What's up?"

"Stefan told me you were having sex in here?" Elena said.

"To be fair, we're just getting high," Damon said.

"Great," Elena said. "You're stoned."

"Calm down," Jeremy said. "It's just a little weed."

"Jeremy, you're throwing your life away!" Elena said.

"It's not that big of deal," Kol said. "Lot's of people do pot in high school. Did you know Barrack Obama did cocaine?"

"That's bullshit," Elena said. "I would have thought you'd know better than this, Kol."

"It's true, Google that crap," Jeremy said.

"What happened to your eye?" Elena asked.

"Nothing, it's fine," Jeremy said, putting his sunglasses back on.

"Go to class, Jeremy!" Elena yelled.

"Fine," Jeremy said, he got up and looked longingly at Damon. "Bye."

"Goddammit, this isn't Romeo and Juliet! Doing pot in a bathroom isn't romantic!" Elena said.

"Bye," Damon said sadly.

"What now?" Kol asked.

"I don't know, I don't particularly feel like showing up to class high," Damon said.

Elena and Jeremy left the bathroom.

"So you going to tap that?" Kol asked.

"Tap what?" Damon said confused, not sure if Kol meant Elena or Jeremy.

"Jeremy, dumbass," Kol said.

"Oh," Damon said. "Do you think he'd go for it?"

"I don't know," Kol admitted. "He's still pretty upset about Klaus."

"What happened there?" Damon asked.

"Basically Klaus is a dick," Kol said.

"Oh," Damon said. "Then why did Jeremy date him in the first place?"

"I have no idea," Kol said. "But I think Jeremy's going to have a hard time trusting someone again."

Damon wondered deep down if maybe he could be that someone.

* * *

**A/N: I hope this was okay. I'm not sure how it turned out. Chapter 3 is super short, but I'm going to try to compensate for it by posting two chapters tomorrow. I will try to be more in character in the future...**


	3. Chapter 3

Elena made her way back to class. She shortly got a text. From Kol: _I'm sorry I got high with your brother_. She rolled her eyes. It was so like Kol to do something so irresponsible. _You shouldn't have let him get stoned._

She half-listened to her Biology teacher as she waited for Kol to text back. _Your brother makes his own decisions._

Elena sighed. _Well maybe he shouldn't_. She was tired of worrying about Jeremy. He had been getting in trouble more and more often every since their parents had died.

_He's a good kid_, Kol responded.

_I worry about him_. _Do you know what happened to his face? _Elena could imagine what happened. Jeremy never used to be the kind of kid who got into fights, but now it wasn't hard for Elena to imagine it happening.

_Damon says Tyler punched him._

Tyler, that figured. That kid was bad news. _Who's Damon? _Elena texted back.

_The other kid in the bathroom with us._

Elena frowned. _Do I have to worry about him_?

_He's not who you have to worry about,_ Kol responded.

_What does that mean?_ Elena wrote. She wondered all class who it was that she was supposed to be worrying about. Kol never texted her back.

* * *

Jeremy headed to history. Once again he took a seat next to Stefan. Stefan nodded slightly at him. Jeremy was pretty sure Stefan was already regretting deciding to be his friend.

"Jeremy, nice of you to join us," Mr. Saltzman said.

"It'd be nicer if you shut your mouth and turned the lights off," Jeremy said, his head pounding in spite of the marijuana.

"Enough Jeremy," Mr. Saltzman said. "And take those sunglasses off." Jeremy took off his sunglasses. "Jeremy are you stoned?"

"Maybe... Alaric, are you screwing my aunt?" Jeremy challenged.

"Jeremy go to the office," Alaric said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fine," Jeremy said. He made his way to the office.

"Jeremy Gilbert?" the secretary asked.

"Yeah, so?" Jeremy asked.

"The principal wants to see you," she said.

Jeremy went into the principal's office. "Sit down, Jeremy." Jeremy did as he was told. "Son, you're throwing your life away. You don't need to be doing drugs. I know sometimes it's hard to fit in, but drugs is never the answer."

"You don't know me," Jeremy said.

"I know the other students make fun of you," the principal said.

"Yeah, that's why I do drugs. Not because my parents died tragically," Jeremy said.

"Mr. Gilbert," the principal said. "I understand you're going through some tough times, but..."

"You don't understand shit," Jeremy said.

"I've heard enough," the principal said. "Sit in the detention room until school's over and your sister can drive you home."

* * *

The final bell rang and Elena was relieved that school was over. The first day back had been tough on her. Kol still hadn't responded to her text message. She was just at her locker packing her stuff up, when she was paged to the office. Her first thought was _What kind of trouble is Jeremy in now?_

She walked to the office. "Hi, I was called down," she told the secretary.

"Elena Gilbert?" the secretary asked.

"Yes."

"You're supposed to drive your brother home," the secretary said.

"Great, he got in trouble again," Elena said.

Jeremy walked out of the detention room. "Let's just go home already. I've had enough of this crap."

Elena sighed. She was tired and could no longer think of anything to say to her brother.

* * *

Stefan found Damon at his locker at the end of the day. "Get kicked out of school yet?" he asked.

"Surprisingly no," Damon said. "Although I did beat a guy up and spend fourth period smoking weed in the bathroom."

"Don't forget having sex during lunch," Stefan added.

"I didn't have sex during lunch. Jeremy's a classy lady."

Stefan groaned. Why couldn't his brother ever just act normal? "So you're going to try to sleep with him?"

"Not so loud," Damon said smiling with his eyes. "But yes."

"Like you care," Stefan said. "It's not exactly like you're hiding it."

"I like him," Damon said. "Why do you care?"

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Stefan said. He always worried about his older brother, not just because Damon got into trouble, but because Damon had a habit of getting his feelings hurt.

Damon rolled his eyes. "That's touching, Stef, really, but I'm a big boy. I can handle myself."

"Really? Like you handled yourself last year?" Stefan countered. He knew Damon hated it when he brought up what had happened last year, but that's why he mentioned it.

"That was different," Damon said, his smile faltering just a little. He closed his locker. "Let's go home."

* * *

**A/N: So I've gotten a few requests for pairings but I might just go my own direction with this. The next chapter will be up later today or tomorrow. Sorry this is so short.**


	4. Chapter 4

Jeremy sat in his room alone, doodling in a sketchbook. A rock hit his window. Jeremy ignored it. Another rock. Then another. Jeremy sighed and opened his window to find Klaus standing in his yard.

"Go away," Jeremy whisper-yelled. Klaus was the last person in the world he wanted to deal with.

"No, I want to talk," Klaus said.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," Jeremy said, closing his window. He thought that would be the end of it, until there was a knock on Jeremy's bedroom door. "Jeremy, Klaus is here to see you," Elena said opening the door.

"I don't want to talk to him," Jeremy said. But Klaus came in anyway and sat at the end of the bed. "What?" Jeremy said angrily.

"I changed my mind," Klaus said.

"About what?" Elena asked.

"Go away," Jeremy said. Since when was Klaus willing to talk to him in front of other people?

"Fine," Elena said, leaving. "Boys."

"I don't care," Jeremy said. "I don't want you back."

"We can tell people and everything," Klaus said. "We don't need to keep it a secret anymore."

"Yeah, and how do you think all the cool kids are going to react when they find out who you really are?" Jeremy challenged.

"I don't care," Klaus said. "I want to be with you."

"Yeah, well I don't want to be with you. You had your chance," Jeremy said. And he meant it. For the past month he had been waiting for Klaus to come back to him. But now that it was actually happening, Jeremy realized that he deserved better.

"Is this about that new kid?" Klaus asked.

"No, this is about you being a dick," Jeremy said, finally standing up for himself.

"I can change," Klaus said.

"Get out, I don't want to see you anymore," Jeremy said, turning back to draw in his sketchbook.

"I'll change your mind," Klaus said on his way out of Jeremy's room.

"No, you won't," Jeremy called after him.

* * *

Elena listened in from the other room. Jeremy had been dating Klaus? When had that ever happened? Had she been so consumed with grief that she couldn't see what was right in front of her? She decided she would have to change. She would have to take more of an interest in Jeremy's life.

She knocked on Jeremy's door again.

"What, Elena?" Jeremy asked.

"We need to talk," Elena said.

"Oh, God, are you breaking up with me?" Jeremy joked.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I heard about Klaus."

"Yeah, well it's none of your business."

"Jeremy, you're my brother and I care about you. I want you to be honest with me," Elena said. It hurt her that Jeremy didn't trust her enough to tell her about Klaus.

"And I want you to not spy on me," Jeremy countered. "Besides, it's nothing. We're over."

"I want you to know you can talk to me," Elena said. "About whatever is going on in your life."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jeremy said.

"I hope you do," Elena said. "I love you, Jer." Jeremy groaned. "I mean it."

"Yeah, whatever," Jeremy said.

* * *

Damon checked the messages on the answering machine. "Hello, Mr. Salvatore, it's the school calling to say Damon was absent from fourth period today." Damon erased the message. There would be hell to pay if his dad heard it.

"Are you ever going to stop getting in trouble?" Stefan asked.

"Why don't you stop worrying about me, and start worrying about yourself?" Damon asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Stefan enquired.

"You can't be perfect all the time," Damon said. "Eventually, you're going to screw up."

"I've been clean for months," Stefan said.

"Yeah, but I know you," Damon said. "You're going to lose control. You're going to go back to it."

"I'm not," Stefan said. "I'm fine."

"As am I," Damon said. "So maybe you could stop your whole act of worrying about me."

Stefan said, "I'll stop worrying about you when I have nothing to worry about."

* * *

Caroline waved at Bonnie, who was sitting alone at a table in the Mystic Grill. "Hey!" she said. "So, let's hear it, who do you like this year?" She was anxious to tell Bonnie her plans for Stefan.

Bonnie took a sip of her iced tea. "I don't know, there's so many to choose from. Did you see the new kids?"

"Damon and Stefan Salvatore," Caroline said with a glowing smile. "Unfortunately the older one is gay, but Stefan on the other hand is single and ready to mingle."

"He didn't look that ready to mingle to me," Bonnie said. "He turned down Elena."

"He turned down Elena?" Caroline asked. "Miss I get picked for everything?" She sunk back in her chair. "Then what chance do I have?"

"Who knows?" Bonnie said. "Maybe he prefers blondes."

"So, I'll go after Stefan Salvatore," Caroline said. "Who are you going after?" Bonnie looked upset, and Caroline couldn't figure out why. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's nothing," Bonnie said.

"You can tell me anything," Caroline said. She would say anything to get to know her friend's secrets.

"Yeah, and you'll go tell everyone you see right after," Bonnie said.

"I promise, I won't," Caroline said. And she would try her best to keep the secret.

"Well, fine..." Bonnie said. "If you never tell anyone. Not even Elena."

"Don't tell Elena what?" Elena said sitting down next to Bonnie.

"Don't tell Elena that her brother was smoking pot in the bathroom today!" Caroline said randomly, trying to distract Elena from whatever was really going on. Bonnie pretended to be mad. "I'm sorry, I just think as a friend that we should really tell Elena this stuff."

"I know," Elena said. "He's a good kid, really. He's just a bit troubled."

"I'm sure it's just a phase," Bonnie said, comforting her friend.

"I hope so," Elena said.

"So, I heard you got rejected by Stefan Salvatore," Caroline said. She didn't bother to hide the fact that she was pleased by this.

"Yep, I hit on him and he rejected me," Elena said.

"Maybe you just have to get to know him first?" Bonnie said.

"Maybe I don't want to know him," Elena countered. "Maybe I"m just not in the market for boys this year."

"You're not going back to Matt?" Caroline asked.

"No, Matt and I... we have a lot in common. But there's no spark. No fireworks. When he kissed me... Well I just wasn't feeling it," Elena said.

"Bad kisser," Caroline said sympathetically. "Been there. Stefan is much better, I would imagine."

"He's hot," Elena agreed. "But I just don't know. I don't even know why I hit on him in the first place. Bonnie was pressuring me."

"I was not pressuring you," Bonnie said. "You didn't need any pressure."

Elena sighed. "I just wish things were different, you know?"

"I know," Bonnie said. "Maybe when more time has passed since the accident, you'll be more into dating again."

"Probably," Elena said.

"Neither of you two are into dating right now?" Caroline said. "Well that just means I get all the hot boys to myself."

"From what I hear Jeremy's your biggest competition," Elena said.

Caroline frowned. "Jeremy's not even that cute. I mean, I know he's your brother, but... I suppose he's alright."

"Maybe he's really good in bed," Bonnie suggested.

"Gross, Bonnie!" Elena said throwing a napkin at her face. "I really don't want to think about that."

"Anyway, it's not like Jeremy and I are going to be after the same type of guy anyway," Caroline said. "I'm more into the younger Salvatore brother. There's just something sexy about a man of mystery."

"You go for it," Elena said. "Bonnie and I are officially taking ourselves out of the dating pool."

"Your loss," Caroline said. "So what do you think I should wear tomorrow to ask Stefan out?"

"I'm thinking something with a plunging neckline," Bonnie said.

"Maybe a nice necklace to draw attention to your chest," Elena said.

"That's perfect!" Caroline said. "I was thinking I would sit at his table at lunch. Unfortunately, he sat with his brother last lunch."

"Why does that matter?" Elena asked.

"I'd much prefer to get him alone," Caroline said.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Elena said.

Caroline proceeded to go into detail of exactly how she planned to bag Stefan Salvatore.


	5. Chapter 5

Jeremy woke up the next day feeling like crap. He immediately ran to the bathroom to vomit. He brushed his teeth after, but it was no good, because his stomach would not settle.

_Just a migraine_, Jeremy thought. He laid back in bed.

"Jeremy, get up!" Elena said.

"I'm not going today," Jeremy said.

"You're not sick Jeremy," Elena said.

"How do you know that?" he countered. As if to prove that he was indeed sick, he ran to the bathroom and threw up once more.

"Fine, but you better stay home, and no drugs or drinking," Elena said when he got back.

"Okay," Jeremy said curling up into a ball with the covers over his face.

Jeremy had fallen asleep when his cell phone buzzed. Groaning he looked at who it was. _From Damon: Skipping again? Tsk tsk._

_Maybe I'm sick_, Jeremy responded.

_Are you actually sick?_ Damon sent back.

_Yes, I'm dying actually. _Jeremy sent, having a flair for the dramatic.

_Are you actually dying?_ Damon asked.

_No, I'm fine_, Jeremy said.

_Then why aren't you at school?_

_You miss me? ;)_ Jeremy sent back.

For a while he didn't get a response and he figured he had scared Damon away. Then he got a new text message. _Terribly. Who else am I going to get pot from?_

_If it's a drug dealer you'll looking for, I could point you in the right direction._ Jeremy said.

_I don't think so, _Damon messaged.

_I'm sorry, _Jeremy sent.

_For what?_

_I don't usually make people do drugs,_ Jeremy said.

_It's fine_, Damon sent.

* * *

Elena noticed Damon was in her first period math class. He was busy texting away. She sent him a note. _Are you texting my brother?_

Damon sent the note back. _That depends._ _Is your brother the incredibly attractive guy we were hanging out in the bathroom with?_

Elena looked at him a nodded, laughing in spite of herself. Damon nodded back.

Bonnie was sitting next to Elena. She looked over Elena's shoulder to read the note. Elena wrote _I think my brother has a boyfriend_, and handed it to Bonnie.

Bonnie just smiled and didn't send the note back. Elena however sent one back to Damon, _If you're going to date my brother, you're going to have to be a better influence._

Damon sent the note back. _I'm the bad influence?_

* * *

Caroline sat down next to Stefan at the lunch table. She was nervous, but excited at the possibility of a new boyfriend. "Hi," she said.

"Who's the blonde?" Damon asked.

"I have no idea," Stefan said, ignoring Caroline.

Caroline frowned. This was not going how she had expected. "I'm Caroline. Nice to meet you. Stefan, is it?"

"Yes, I'm Stefan. You're friends with Elena right?"

Caroline bit her lip. After Elena had embarrassed herself the day before, she wasn't sure she wanted to be associated with her. "Well, yes."

"She hit on me quite shamelessly yesterday," Stefan said.

"Elena?" Damon said. "I thought she had more style than that."

"Other than that, she seems alright," Stefan said. "She's Jeremy's older sister."

"I knew that," Damon said proudly.

"So are you and Jeremy an item?" Caroline asked, not really caring but she just wanted to get back into the conversation.

"Yes," Stefan said at the same time Damon said, "No."

"So, I'm getting mixed messages," Caroline said, confused.

"They will be by the end of the week, if Damon has his way," Stefan said.

"Not necessarily," Damon said. "Maybe I'm playing the long game."

"Maybe he's not interested in you," Caroline suggested. But Damon was really cute and a bit of a bad boy, and Caroline was pretty sure Jeremy would be all over that.

"Please," Damon said. "Who wouldn't be interested in all of this." He motioned at his body. "Besides he sent me a winky face today."

"Wow," Stefan said. "I'd better start planning the wedding."

"You can be the flower girl," Damon said.

"So, Stefan, I'd be willing to be your date for the wedding. I have a thing for flower girls," Caroline said, attempting to be flirty.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Stefan said.

Caroline was flustered. "Why not?"

"Yeah, why not, Stefan?" Damon asked.

"I just don't think it's a good time for me to be dating," Stefan said.

"That's such a chick answer," Damon said.

"This coming from you, Princess," Stefan said.

"That's only okay to say if you're gay," Damon said. "Or is that the real reason you're turning Blondie down?"

Stefan rolled his eyes and walked away.

"That wasn't a no!" Damon called after him. Caroline sat there awkwardly not knowing what to do. Then it became increasingly awkward as Damon stared at her and she got up and ran away to find Bonnie.

* * *

"Jeremy isn't here today," Rebekah commented, sitting at a table with her two brothers.

"Who cares?" Klaus asked.

"Not you, clearly," Kol said.

"He hates me now, and it's all your fault," Rebekah told Klaus. "Why do you hate him so much? You used to be best friends."

"Yeah, _best _friends," Kol said meaningfully.

Klaus ate his sandwich moodily. "Rebekah, I need your help. Can you sneak us into the computer lab?"

"Why?" Rebekah asked.

"You'll see soon," Klaus said.

* * *

**A/N: Hi, guys. Is anybody still reading this? If so, I do enjoy reviews even if they're short. If I can manage to get over my current writer's block, I will post the next chapter tomorrow. Thanks for reading. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is now rated M, but please don't complain to me that it isn't proper smut. I will try to write a legit sex scene later in this story, but I felt like I went into the appropriate level of detail for the context of the sexual interaction. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Jeremy trudged into the school, his head aching, but determined not to get in trouble that day, for Elena's sake. As he walked he saw people laugh and point at him, even more than usual. He didn't think anything of it until Damon walked up to him. "Are you okay?" Damon asked.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Jeremy asked. He had a bad gut feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Damon was carrying a pile of papers. "Umm..." he held them out to show Jeremy.

Jeremy stared at the paper, never feeling more angry in his life. It was a picture of Jeremy kissing Klaus. In bed. Naked. Underneath it read, _Klaus Mikaelson loves Jeremy Gilbert_

"I took them all down, but..." Damon said.

"Everyone already saw," Jeremy said. He stuffed the papers into a garbage can. "I changed my mind, let's go kill Klaus."

"Klaus did this?" Damon said. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Jeremy said. "He said he was going to prove that he loved me or some crap. That he'd tell everybody."

Damon bit his lip. "I'll kill him. Your sister will kill me if you get kicked out of school."

"Jeremy Gilbert and Klaus Mikaelson to the office," a voice over the intercom said.

"Great," Jeremy said. "I'm already going to get kicked out of school and this isn't even my fault."

"You want me to come with you?" Damon asked.

Jeremy shook his head. He went to the office, finding Elena was already waiting there for him. "Jeremy!" she said, opening her arms to hug him.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jeremy said.

"Do you have any idea who did this?" she asked,

"I have a pretty good idea," Jeremy said.

"Who?" Elena asked.

Klaus walked into the office. Jeremy couldn't even look at him.

"Klaus?" Elena asked. "Why would you do that? Don't you have any decency?"

"You wanted everyone to know," Klaus told Jeremy.

"Are you fucking insane?" Jeremy asked. "How did you think I was going to react?"

The principal called them into his office. "Boys, I think you know why I've called you down here today. Regarding a picture that has been spread through the school."

"It's not my fault," Jeremy said.

"Do you boys have any idea who might have put the pictures up?" the principal asked.

"He did!" Jeremy said pointing at Klaus.

"I have no idea," Klaus said innocently. "I lost my camera, anyone could have those pictures."

"That's bullshit!" Jeremy yelled.

"Jeremy that's enough," the principal said. "I'm afraid I don't have any choice but to suspend you two. It will be an in school suspension."

"That's not fair!" Jeremy said. "I didn't do anything!"

"That was you in the picture, was it not?" the principal said.

"Yes, but..."

"Suspended, Jeremy," the principal said. "Both of you to the detention room."

"I don't want to be alone with him!" Jeremy said.

"You'll be supervised," the principal said. "Now, go!"

* * *

_Three Months Ago_

Klaus ejaculated into Jeremy's mouth. Jeremy sucked eagerly drinking up his lover's juices. Jeremy laid back on the bed. "My turn."

Klaus shook his head. "You think I'm doing that?"

"It's only fair," Jeremy protested.

Klaus laid on top of his and nibbled at his neck before whispering in his ear, "Not happening."

"You suck," Jeremy said.

"Actually, I think your issue is that I don't suck," Klaus countered.

"Whatever, I'm leaving," Jeremy said, searching for his pants.

"Hey, wait," Klaus said, he pulled Jeremy back on the bed and kissed him.

"So the taste of you own sperm is okay," Jeremy said.

Klaus pushed Jeremy so he was laying down on the bed again.

"Nope, I'm going home," Jeremy said. Klaus tickled Jeremy's ribs. "Okay fine! Just stop," Jeremy said, laughing.

Klaus leaned over and nibbled on Jeremy's neck playfully. He reached into the nightstand for some lube and applied it generously. Jeremy moaned a little as he did it. Klaus pushed into him hard, without concern, grunting as he moved back and forth rhythmically. Jeremy moved very little allowing Klaus to take the lead. In a matter of minutes, Klaus had finished leaving Jeremy feeling unsatisfied.

Klaus laid back on the bed. Jeremy sat up. "I'm gone," Jeremy said.

"Wait," Klaus said again. He pulled out a camera. "I want to remember this moment."

"Klaus..." Jeremy said. He did not particularly care to relive this moment and he felt nervous about having a picture of it.

"Please?" Klaus said.

Jeremy covered his lower half with the sheets and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek as Klaus took the picture.

"Okay, now get out," Klaus said. "Kol's going to be home soon."

"Bye," Jeremy said, getting dressed before bolting out of the house.

* * *

How the hell did I get stuck with this job? Alaric thought as he made his way to the detention room. Jeremy Gilbert, his least favorite student, and Klaus Mikaelson who Alaric had never had a class with, but he had heard horror stories, were sitting in two desks next to each other.

Jeremy sat with his usual sulking face in the desk in the corner. Klaus sat in the desk next to him. "Listen, I did it for us," Klaus said.

"Wait," Alaric said. "You seriously posted nude pictures of yourself all over the school?" What was wrong with this kid?

"Yes, he did," Jeremy said. "Because he's a few fries short of a Happy Meal."

"You wanted everyone to know," Klaus said. "It's actually a romantic confession of love."

Alaric groaned wondering what he had gotten himself into. What sort of messed up kid thought that was romantic? "Klaus, that's enough."

"Yeah, Klaus," Jeremy said. "Just stop talking to me. Like forever."

"Quiet, both of you," Alaric said. For a few minutes they stayed silent, except every thirty seconds or so Klaus would just inch over closer to Jeremy.

Jeremy stood up. "Can you just back off already?"

Klaus stood up, too. Alaric was prepared if punches were thrown. "No, I can't back off," Klaus said. "I can't lose you, Jeremy."

"You're the one who broke up with me!" Jeremy said. "And guess what? You've already lost me and we are never getting back together."

Alaric stood between the boys. "Klaus go sit on the other side of the room. You're embarrassing yourself."

Fortunately, for the rest of first period the boys were quiet, after which Alaric didn't have to deal with their shit anymore.

* * *

**A/N: I've been told to make longer chapters, and I'm sorry this one isn't that much longer. I really struggle with making lengthier chapters. On the plus side, there was more Jeremy in this. There might be less Jeremy in the next chapter, but I will make sure it's over 1K for sure. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

Rebekah showed up to school to discover everyone was in an uproar. Elena ran up to her. "Did you know he was going to do this?"

"Do what?" Rebekah asked confused.

"Don't play dumb with me, Blondie," Elena said. "Klaus posting pictures all over the school?"

"Posting pictures of what?" Rebekah asked. She had helped her brother sneak into the computer lab, but she had no idea what he had done once he was there. She was starting to suspect it was something very bad.

Elena pulled a folded up picture out of her pocket and showed it to Rebekah. "Oh, God. I had no idea he was going to do that when I let him into the computer lab."

"You let him into the computer lab to print this?" Elena said disgustedly.

"I had no idea that's what he was doing," Rebekah said in an attempt to defend herself.

"Yeah, well you know your brother, and you should have checked what he was doing," Elena said, walking away.

"Elena, wait!" Rebekah said, but Elena was already gone.

* * *

Kol sat down next to Damon in math class. The class was supposed to work quietly on their homework, but Kol had other plans.

"I'm so sorry about my brother," he said to Damon.

"Well, that's really not good enough," Damon said angrily.

"If I had any idea what kind of crap he was going to pull, I would have put a stop to it," Kol said.

"I would have put a stop to his life," Damon said.

"Are we cool?" Kol asked.

"Of course we're cool," Damon said. "It's not your fault you're brother's a douche."

The girl behind Kol passed him a note. _Did you know? -Elena_

_Of course not, I have more class than my asshole brother, _Kol wrote back.

_I'm worried about Jeremy, _Elena wrote.

_He's a tough kid. He'll be alright,_ Kol sent back

_I hope you're right_, Elena sent back.

Damon figured Jeremy must have gotten into some kind of trouble, because he did not show up to the lunch table that day. He hoped Jeremy had not been kicked out of school. Damon had been trying not to look clingy, so he hadn't texted Jeremy yet, but he did after a few minutes of waiting for him and the lunch table. _What happened?_

_Suspended_, Jeremy sent back.

"Are you texting Jeremy?" Stefan asked. Damon nodded. "Is he okay?"

"Would you be okay?" Damon asked.

"I would never get myself into a situation like that," Stefan said.

"No, you're too good to do anything wrong. Oh, wait. What about your serious drug problem?" Damon asked.

Elena sat down next to Stefan. "Serious drug problem?" she asked. "He's joking, right?"

"Yes, I'm joking," Damon said. "Stefan's absolutely perfect."

"I had a minor drug problem last year, but I've been clean for three months," Stefan said.

"Yeah, a _minor _heroin addiction," Damon said sarcastically.

"Heroin?" Elena said. Damon enjoyed hearing the shock in her voice.

"Yes, but I'm fine now," Stefan said.

"How can you be fine?" Elena asked. "Heroin is much worse than pot. You could have died."

"Yeah, well I'm fine," Stefan said.

"We can all tell how wonderfully you're doing," Damon said.

"Do I have to worry about you hanging out with my brother?" Elena asked Stefan.

Damon shook his head. "No, Stefan was never into doing drugs with other people, he was more like alone in his room his face soaked with tears."

"Damon, that's enough," Stefan said.

"You're high right now," Damon said. "And you haven't been clean for months. Do you think I'm mentally challenged?"

Stefan gets up out the table. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I know exactly what I'm talking about," Damon said, getting up and staring Stefan right in the face. "You need help Stefan. This isn't okay."

Stefan punched Damon in the jaw hard. Damon stood there for a minute staring with wide eyes, before he threw a punch himself. Before it got too heated, Alaric came and separated them. "Boys that's enough. I'm going to take you to the office."

* * *

Jeremy sat in the suspension room doodling in a notebook and trying to pretend he didn't notice Klaus was staring at him. Alaric walked in, dragging Stefan and Damon with him. "What did you do?" Jeremy asked Damon.

Damon just shrugged with a boyish grin. "We got into a fight," Stefan clarified.

"Why?" Jeremy asked.

Alaric sighed. "Can you all just sit down and shut up?"

"Stefan's high," Damon whispered loudly into Jeremy's ear.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Alaric announced.

"You know what, Damon you can just shut up already, we're all sick of listening to you," Stefan said.

"You need to chill yourself," Jeremy said, standing up.

"I swear to God, Jeremy I will get you kicked out of this school if you touch him," Alaric said.

Jeremy sat back down. "I wasn't going to do anything."

"You know what, I don't want to deal with you, two," Stefan said taking a seat next to Klaus. "What's up new best friend?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Damon said. "You have the worst taste in men, Stefan. No offence, Jeremy."

"None taken," Jeremy said amiably.

"So you're a stoner friend of Jeremy's," Klaus said to Stefan.

"No, he's a heroin addict that's too good for Jeremy," Damon said.

"Classy," Klaus said.

"Like you're so perfect," Jeremy said angrily.

"Him?" Klaus said pointing at Stefan. "You like this guy?"

"Oh, please," Damon said. "Jeremy doesn't like Stefan. Right, Jer?"

"Well were supposed to be friends," Jeremy said. "But apparently he'd rather be friends with Mr. Minute Man over there."

"Well then," Damon said, mildly dazed.

"Jeremy, you know that's rude," Stefan said. "You can't just call a guy out on that."

"Well if I was calling him out on things I would tell you that he was too afraid to ever be bottom or perform oral sex," Jeremy said.

"Jeremy..." Alaric said. "Nobody needed to know that."

"I did," Stefan said.

Damon shot his brother a questioning glance. "Well this isn't awkward at all."

"What kind of hair product do you use?" Stefan asked Klaus. "It's way better than mine." He felt Klaus's fluffy hair.

"You think that's funny, making fun of gay people?" Damon asked.

Stefan looked confused. "Who's making fun of anyone?"

"Cut the crap, Stefan," Damon said. "I'm going to give you a pass because you're super high, but when you sober up I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

"Make sure to do that off school property," Alaric said helpfully.

"You're on," Stefan said.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not going to apologize for this being short because I updated two chapters today. This story is like my whole life and I try to update every day, so try not to focus on chapter length and think that you get to read something new everyday.**


	8. Chapter 8

Alaric left just before lunch ended to go teach a history class. Not making a very wise decision, he decided to leave the boys unattended.

Damon didn't feel much up for talking so he sat quietly beside Jeremy who was drawing. Stefan sat beside Klaus, apparently working on his homework. "Do you have the answer for question 12?" Stefan asked Klaus.

"You're not even in the same grade," Damon said he got up to see what his brother was working on. "And you're on question 4."

"I thought you said he was on heroin, not acid," Jeremy said, looking up from his drawing.

"He's more high than usual," Damon said.

"That's not good," Jeremy said. "Is he going to OD?"

Damon stared at his brother. Other than the fact that he was obsessively scratching at his arms and his eyes were bloodshot, he looked fairly normal. "He'll be alright," Damon told Jeremy.

"So seriously, what's the answer to question 12?" Stefan asked Klaus.

"Oral sex," Klaus said.

"That's never the answer with you," Jeremy muttered.

"Thanks," Stefan said writing something down on his paper.

"Are you seriously writing that down?" Damon said. He looked at his brother's paper and question 4 was answered with illegible writing.

"Maybe he got a bad dose," Jeremy suggested. "Like it was laced with LSD or something."

Damon stood in front of his brother and snapped his fingers. "Stefan, look at me." Stefan looked at him. "Maybe we should get him to the hospital?" Damon asked Jeremy.

Stefan went back to working on his paper. "I've never seen such pretty colors," he said.

"Nah," Jeremy said. "You just have to watch him to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"How long will it take to wear off?' Damon asked.

"Maybe twelve hours," Jeremy said.

"And you know this from experience?" Damon asked bitterly. In that moment he hated Jeremy. He hated anyone that thought that this kind of trip was fun. Jeremy didn't say anything, which said everything in itself.

* * *

Damon had to practically drag his brother home. Once there he threw Stefan in his room and wondered what to do next. Stefan was staring at something that Damon couldn't see. "Great, Stefan," Damon said. "This is all your fault," he said. Stefan mumbled something incoherent.

Damon turned on the TV and half watched it while watching Stefan. At about six o'clock, Giuseppe Salvatore returned home.

"Damon, where's dinner?" Giuseppe called up the stairs,

_Shit_, Damon thought. He had been so busy worrying about Stefan that he hadn't remembered to cook supper. "Don't move," he told Stefan. He ran down the stairs. "I thought we'd order pizza," Damon said, hoping that it wouldn't incite his father's rage.

"Where's Stefan?" Giuseppe asked. _Of course he's looking for Stefan. And I'm the Satan child._

"Out looking for a new drug dealer," Damon said sarcastically.

"Damon, that's quite enough. We all know that's more your kind of trouble than Stefan's," Giuseppe said. Damon rolled his eyes. _If only you knew_, he thought. _But if you did, you'd find a way to make it all my fault anyway._

"Stefan," Giuseppe called walking into Stefan's room. Damon ran after him, anticipating the worst.

"Hi, Dad," Stefan said. But he was still zoned out and staring at the floor.

"Boy, you'll look at me when I talk to you," Giuseppe warned.

"That's a good story," Stefan said. Damon pushed one palm into his forehead.

"What the hell did you give him?" Giuseppe asked Damon.

"_I _didn't give him anything," Damon said. "The running theory is that your perfect son injected heroin that was laced with LSD."

Giuseppe slapped Stefan's cheeks lightly. "How could you let him do this to himself?"

"I didn't _let _him do anything!" Damon yelled.

"Don't talk to me like that, Damon!" Giuseppe yelled back. "We have to get him to the hospital."

* * *

"I'm fine," Stefan said when he realized they were at the hospital. He tripped over his own feet as Damon and Giuseppe led him to the ER.

"Man, he is really tripping," Damon said. He'd have to remember to text Jeremy that once he got Stefan in a sitting position.

"If we weren't in public I would hit you," Giuseppe said.

"Why are we at the hospital?" Stefan asked.

"Because your idiot brother got you high!' Giuseppe said.

They lead Stefan past the vending machine, but Stefan strongly resisted. "Hey, guys. I need some Doritos."

"You don't need Doritos come on!" Damon said, pulling his brother by the wrist.

"Do you think it takes fifties?" Stefan asked. "That would save some time."

"There's not even fifty bucks worth of Doritos in there, just come on!" Damon said.

"I'm fine," Stefan repeated.

"Clearly," Damon said.

"Boys, stop arguing and come on," Giuseppe said.

"Which one of you is here for the doctor?" the intake nurse asked.

"He is," Giuseppe said, pointing to Stefan.

"And the reason?" the nurse asked.

"Basically he's really high on heroin and LSD and stuff," Damon said.

"I see," the nurse said. "Have a seat."

Giuseppe and Damon lead Stefan to sit in the waiting room. Fortunately, Stefan was busy staring at something again and sat down willingly. Damon went to pull his phone out of his pocket to text Jeremy to tell him what happened, but then he remembered he was mad at Jeremy. He already had his brother to deal with, he couldn't deal with anymore druggies.

* * *

Jeremy sat alone in his room, wondering what he had done. He wasn't sure why, but Damon had avoided talking to him all afternoon. It was almost as if Damon was blaming Jeremy for Stefan's behaviour.

Elena walked in. "Jeremy, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Jeremy said moodily, although he was not fine.

Then it hit him. Damon was mad about Klaus._ He's mad at me for sleeping with Klaus_. Jeremy frowned. But that wasn't fair. Jeremy hadn't even known Damon at the time. Besides Jeremy didn't fully realize what Klaus was truly like.

"You don't look fine," Elena said, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"Damon's mad at me," Jeremy said.

"What's going on between you two?" Elena asked.

"I don't know," Jeremy said truthfully. Then he thought about it again for a minute. "There's nothing going on between us at all."

* * *

**A/N: Hi, guys. Hope you liked it even if it's a bit... odd. I may not update tomorrow on account of I am going on vacation. Thanks for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

Damon went to school the next day feeling very exhausted. He was still on suspension, so he was in the detention room. Stefan was still a little out of it, so he was not at school. Damon got to the detention room and couldn't decide whether to sit near Klaus or Jeremy, as he was equally mad at both of them. So he sat in the teacher's desk. Alaric showed up five minutes later. He sighed upon seeing Damon sit in his desk, but he took a seat at the back of the class without making a fuss.

Jeremy started to make shadow animals on the desk with his hands. Damon rolled his eyes. Jeremy didn't seem to take notice though. Soon Jeremy escalated into full blown shadow puppet theatre in an attempt to entertain himself.

"Hi, I'm Klaus," Jeremy said in a really high pitched voice. "I think nobody knows I'm gay, when clearly my brother has known the whole time."

"Hi, I'm Kol," Jeremy said in a slightly manlier voice. "My brother is a douche bag who thinks he's still in the closet."

Damon fought the urge to laugh, and instead told himself that Jeremy was being childish.

"Can you stop that?" Klaus asked.

"I'm Klaus, I don't reciprocate oral sex," Jeremy said in the same high-pitched voice.

"Wow, you are really bitter about that," Alaric said.

"You don't know how many times I asked him. He owes me like dozens," Jeremy said.

"Fine, let's do it right here," Klaus said.

"No, later. Off school grounds," Alaric said.

"I don't want them anymore," Jeremy said. "You probably don't even give good blow jobs."

"Yeah, but you do," Klaus said flirtatiously.

"Okay, okay. Way too much information," Alaric said.

Damon sat there quietly trying to force himself not to laugh at Jeremy because he was still mad. But it was hard when Jeremy was so off the wall.

"I'm Alaric, I'm screwing Jeremy's aunt and not even being subtle about it," Jeremy said.

"Jeremy..." Alaric said.

"I'm Jeremy," Jeremy said in his manliest voice yet. "I'm not afraid of sexuality and my penis is bigger than Alaric's."

"Jeremy, you can't possibly know that," Alaric said.

"Jenna told me," Jeremy said.

"Why has your aunt seen your penis?" Alaric asked, not really wanting to know the answer to that question.

"I forget to lock the bathroom door a lot," Jeremy said. "It's not my fault I'm stupid."

Damon silently thought it probably was he fault he was stupid, from all the drugs he had been taking.

"Speaking of bathrooms, I have to take a piss," Alaric said. "All of you better just sit here and shut up while I'm gone."

"I'm telling Jenna you said the piss word in front of me," Jeremy said. Alaric just ignored him and walked out.

After Alaric was gone for a minute Jeremy said, "I don't feel so good." He stood up, wobbling a little as he did so. Then before Damon knew it, Jeremy had feel to the floor.

Klaus got up immediately and ran to Jeremy's aid. "We need to get him to a doctor."

"No, we don't," Damon said. "He's just really high."

"Jeremy knows how to handle his drugs," Klaus said. "I think something's seriously wrong. If I was with Jeremy I would get him proper medical care."

"I'm not with Jeremy!" Damon said defensively.

"Oh, so he's available," Klaus said.

Alaric walked back in. "What happened?"

"He passed out," Klaus said.

"He's probably just stoned," Damon added.

"Well, we better get him some medical attention," Alaric said.

* * *

Elena was sitting in first period math class when she was called down to the office. Elena got up, wondering what Jeremy had done this time. When she got there the secretary said, "Elena Gilbert?" Elena nodded. "Your brother has been sent to the hospital."

"What?" Elena said. "Why?" Her immediate reaction was that it must be some kind of drug overdose.

"We're not sure," the secretary said. "He passed out and didn't regain consciousness."

"Has someone called my aunt?" Elena asked.

"Yes, she's on her way to the hospital," the secretary said.

"I'll be absent from class today," Elena said. "I have to go see my brother."

* * *

Elena waited in the waiting room of the hospital for any news about Jeremy. Jenna came out, her eyeliner running from tears. Elena ran up to her. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Jenna wiped at her face with a tissue. "It's a brain tumor."

"A brain tumor?" Elena said in disbelief. "Oh my God. Is he... is he going to be okay?"

"They said they can operate, but it'll be dangerous," Jenna said.

A single tear ran down Elena's cheek. "Is he going to die?"

"I don't know," Jenna said.

* * *

**A/N: I am not sorry that this is short. I had to end that there. Next chapter will probably updated tomorrow if not later today.**


	10. Chapter 10

Elena texted Kol, _Jeremy has brain cancer_.

_I'm so sorry, is he going to be ok?_ Kol texted back.

_I don't know_, Elena texted back. She was waiting in the hospital waiting room. Jeremy still hadn't woke up. His surgery was scheduled for the following day. Jenna walked into the waiting room.. "You might as well go home," she said. "It's no use staying here and worrying."

"I'm still going to worry even if I am at home," Elena pointed out. "Besides, I want to be here when he wakes up."

"Okay, you can go in his room now," Jenna said.

Elena sat in a chair next to Jeremy's hospital bed looking at her brother and wondering how he could be so sick and she hadn't noticed. Why hadn't Jeremy gone to the doctor? How could he be oblivious to the fact that there was a tumor in his brain?

Jeremy stirred. He opened his eyes and looked down at himself, realizing where he was. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Elena said.

"I'm fine," Jeremy said. "Can we go home now?"

"No, we can't, Jeremy," Elena said, tears threatening to fall again.

"Why?" Jeremy asked.

"You have a brain tumor," Elena said.

"Oh," Jeremy said quietly. "Am I going to die?"

"No," Elena said. "I'm not going to let that happen."

Jeremy pulled out his phone and texted someone. "Who are you texting?" Elena asked.

"Damon," Jeremy said. "He can't be mad at me if I have cancer, right?"

"No, he can't," Elena said in an attempt to comfort her brother. "Why was he mad at you anyway?"

"I don't know," Jeremy said.

Jenna came in the room and ran to hug Jeremy. "Thank God you're okay."

"I feel fine," Jeremy said, but Elena was pretty sure he was lying.

* * *

Suspension had been entirely quiet without Jeremy. Even Klaus had sat there quietly. The longer Jeremy was gone, the more Damon worried about him. Even if it was drugs, passing out and not waking up was not good. In fourth period his phone vibrated. From Jeremy: _Why are you mad at me?_'

Damon sighed. He didn't feel like answering that. He knew that if he talked about it, Jeremy would convince him not to be mad. That wasn't what Damon wanted. He wanted to be mad. In a way, he couldn't be mad at Stefan, so he had to be mad at Jeremy.

"Is that Jeremy?" Klaus asked. Damon nodded quietly. "Is he okay?" Klaus asked.

Damon decided to ignore Jeremy's question. _What happened?_

_I have cancer, you can't be mad at me anymore_, Jeremy returned.

Damon's heart dropped. Jeremy had to be kidding. He was a sixteen year old, he wasn't just going to find out he had cancer. That kind of thing just didn't happen. _Are you serious?_ Damon texted.

_Yeah, a brain tumor_, Jeremy replied.

Damon didn't bother texting back, he just got up and drove to the hospital. When he got there he asked the front desk where Jeremy's room was.

"Are you family?" the receptionist asked.

"Yeah, I'm his brother," Damon lied and felt disgusting about it. Jeremy was anything but a brother to him. But the receptionist told him where Jeremy was.

Jeremy's room was crowded with Jenna and Elena sitting on either side of Jeremy's bed. Damon realized he had no idea what to say. So he went with, "Hi."

"Hi," Jeremy said. "Why are you mad at me?"

Elena got up out of her seat. "Jenna and I were just going for lunch, weren't we?"

"We were?" Jenna said. Then she picked up on the situation. "Yes we were." They pair of them left the room.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Damon decided out loud.

"I want to know," Jeremy said.

"Have you ever done LSD?" Damon asked. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Jeremy wasn't even into that kind of thing.

"No," Jeremy said. "I knew how long LSD lasts because I attended health class, dumbass."

"Oh," Damon said, feeling quite stupid. "But you do pot."

"Pot isn't anywhere near as dangerous as other drugs," Jeremy pointed out. "Not like your brother and the heroin."

"Yeah, I guess," Damon said. He was right, as soon as he talked to Jeremy he wasn't mad anymore. "I don't like it though."

"What if it were medical marijuana?" Jeremy asked. "I feel like brain cancer entitles you to medical marijuana."

"I'd rather you didn't," Damon said honestly.

Jeremy sighed. "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"I was under the impression we were friends," Damon said.

"Ouch," Jeremy said.

"What?" Damon asked confused.

"I didn't know I was friendzoned," Jeremy said.

Klaus walked in. "Jeremy, are you alright?" he asked.

"I was fine until you got here," Jeremy said dryly.

"Get out," Damon said in an unfriendly tone.

"Kol told me what happened," Klaus said.

"I don't care, get out!" Jeremy said. Klaus reluctantly walked out of the room. "Maybe you should leave, too," Jeremy said to Damon.

"I really think we should talk," Damon said.

"I'm tired, I just want to be alone," Jeremy said.

Regretfully, Damon left.

* * *

**A/N: I don't know when I'll update next. I'm having a hard time with writing lately although I will try to update in the next few days.**


	11. Chapter 11

The surgery was a success. There was no way to tell if there would be any permanent damage until Jeremy woke up. Elena waited impatiently in the waiting room with Bonnie and Jenna.

"Why didn't you tell me about Jeremy?" Bonnie asked. "You know I'm always here for you."

Elena bit her lip. It was hard for her to understand why she hadn't called Bonnie. But some part of her couldn't face telling her best friend something so terrible. "I just... I had a lot on my mind."

"It just kind of hurt," Bonnie admitted. "That you didn't think of me."

"Bonnie, I spend almost all my time thinking about you," Elena said.

"Elena..." Bonnie said, but somehow she couldn't find the words.

Before Elena or Bonnie could think of what to say next, the doctor came out. "The surgery is complete. We have managed to remove all of the tumor, but we aren't sure if there will be accompanying brain damage."

"So he's going to be okay?" Elena asked hopefully.

"If the cancer comes back we will treat with chemotherapy, but for now he is going to be okay," the doctor explained.

"Thank God," Jenna said.

* * *

Jeremy was in an anaesthetic induced haze. He was dreaming that he was in ninth grade again. Tyler Lockwood had found him alone in the men's washroom.

"Hey queer," Tyler said, pushing him up against the wall.

"Let me go," Jeremy said, squirming to try to get away from Tyler's hold.

Instead Tyler kicked Jeremy in the shin and punched him in the face.

That was when Damon walked into the bathroom. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Damon asked. He didn't wait for an answer and he punched Tyler so hard that he was knocked unconscious. "Are you okay?" Damon asked Jeremy.

"I'm fine," Jeremy said in a daze.

* * *

At three thirty, Damon made his way to the hospital. He knew the chances of Jeremy being awake were slim, but he couldn't just leave Jeremy alone. Even if that was what Jeremy wanted.

He walked into the hospital and found Elena, Bonnie, and Jenna sitting in the waiting room. "How is he?" he asked.

"He hasn't woke up yet, but they managed to remove the tumor," Elena said.

"He's in the ICU right now," Jenna added.

Damon sat down and waited.

* * *

Jeremy didn't wake up until the following day. He was in a groggy haze and he didn't know where he was. He couldn't open his eyes, but he was focusing on the fact that someone was holding his hand. Someone real and tangible apart from the dream he was in. Someone who smelt like Axe Body Spray. Jeremy opened his eyes. "Damon?"

"Hey," Damon said. "How are you feeling?"

"I thought I told you to go away," Jeremy said.

"Do you want me to leave?" Damon asked.

Jeremy didn't know. He wanted Damon to stay but on the other hand... "I didn't want you to see me bald."

"It suits you," Damon said.

Jeremy snorted in disbelief. Damon was clearly just trying to make him feel better. "So I guess I'm not dead."

"It would seem that way," Damon said. "How are you feeling?" he repeated.

"Drugged up mostly," Jeremy admitted. "My head hurts a bit."

"That's not entirely surprising," Damon said.

Elena walked in. "Jeremy!" she said. "Are you okay?"

"I feel fine," Jeremy said.

A nurse entered the room. "Oh, good. You're awake. What's your name?"

"Jeremy Gilbert."

"What year is it?"

"2013."

"Move your fingers and toes," she commanded.

Jeremy did as he was told. He felt weak, but he could move his fingers and toes alright.

"Good," the nurse said.

"So I guess there's no brain damage," Elena said. "You seem fine."

Jeremy nodded. "When do I get to leave?"

"Two or three days," the nurse said before ducking out.

"Where's Jenna?" Jeremy asked Elena.

"She had to go back to work. Do you want me to call her to come here?" Elena asked.

"It's okay," Jeremy said. "I'll wait till she's done work."

"Klaus and Stefan are in the waiting room they want to see you. Is that okay?" Elena asked.

Jeremy sighed deeply. "I guess." It did not escape him that Damon frowned at this.

Elena disappeared and Klaus and Stefan took her place. Stefan was holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Flowers, Stefan?" Damon asked. "Could you get any gayer?"

"I was going to say they were from both of us, but I don't really think that works now," Stefan said.

Damon grabbed the flowers out of Stefan's hand. "Here I got you flowers, Jeremy."

"Wow, thanks," Jeremy said sarcastically, putting the flowers beside his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Klaus asked.

"I'm feeling wonderful," Jeremy said. "Oh, wait. Except I just had brain surgery and I feel like crap."

"You told me you were fine," Damon said confused.

"I'm alright," Jeremy told Damon.

"Is the cancer gone?" Stefan asked.

"How should I know?" Jeremy said. "I just woke up five minutes ago."

"Are you mad at me or something?" Stefan asked.

"No, I'm mad because I had brain surgery and my head hurts," Jeremy said.

"You want us to leave?" Damon asked.

"I want two of you to leave and I'm not telling you who," Jeremy said.

"Okay..." Stefan said. "I'm guessing you mean Klaus and probably me? Or is Damon being a jerk?"

Jeremy just sat there silently.

"I'm not leaving," Damon decided.

"Okay, I'm gone," Stefan said.

"Wait," Klaus said. "I brought you something, too." He handed Jeremy a piece of paper that looked like it had been torn out of a notebook.

Jeremy looked at it for a few minutes. "Thanks," he said. "This is... really something."

Damon looked generally displeased at this.

"Okay, call me if you need anything," Klaus said before leaving with Stefan.

Jeremy sat there staring at the paper Klaus had given him. "What did he write you that was so special?" Damon asked.

Jeremy couldn't answer because he could tell there was writing on the paper, but he had no idea how to read it anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this took a while to update. I plan to update regularly, even though I intend to work on other FF at the same time. Thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I apologize for this chapter being so short. I've been sitting here with this document for days scratching my brain thinking "What could I add to this chapter?" Well, I never thought of an answer, so I'm going to post it like this and start working on the next chapter before I feel like not continuing this story because that would be sad. Hope you like it.**

* * *

A few days later Jeremy woke up at home to see Jenna and Elena standing at the doorway, just staring at him. "You do realize that that's really creepy?" he asked, sitting up even though he felt weak.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jenna lied.

"We just got here," Elena agreed with a smile.

"I know you're lying," Jeremy said. "Since my brain surgery I've got superpowers to know when people are lying," he proceeded to bullshit. "I can also blow things up with my mind. I also think I have x-ray vision. Brain surgery is so cool!"

Elena and Jeremy share a worried glance but neither commented because they didn't want to be mean to Jeremy.

"Tough crowd," Jeremy said.

"What's this?" Elena said, picking up a piece of paper that was folded on Jeremy's desk.

"Don't read that," Jeremy said immediately worried that whatever Klaus had written to him had to be inappropriate.

"Why not?" Elena asked. "_Dear Jeremy, I was devastated when you fell to the floor in suspension the other day. I was so worried about you and I have been worried ever since. I hope you are doing better. I miss you so much. If we got back together I would do anything for you including..._ Oh God, I'm not reading that," Elena said.

"What? Keep going," Jenna said.

"Well if you're going to read it, you might as well read all of it," Jeremy said, curious as to what Klaus was willing to do.

"_Including oral sex and _... Can I please stop reading?" Elena asked.

"No, you wanted to read it," Jeremy said.

"_Even anilingus if you're into that sort of thing. Love Klaus."_

"Great," Jenna said a little too calmly in a way that unnerved Elena and Jeremyas she nodded her head and left.

"Okay, so that wasn't totally awkward at all," Elena said, putting the paper down "I'm just going to go."

When she left, Jeremy picked up the note and tried to make it out. He could make out the word Dear and he knew the next word was supposed to be Jeremy, but it looked foreign to him. Jeremy was still trying to read it when Damon walked in. Jeremy immediately pulled a sweater on and put the hood up even though he was already wearing a wool cap.

"Isn't it a little hot for that?" Damon asked. Jeremy just glared at him. "Okay then."

"What's up?" Jeremy asked pathetically.

"You still reading that note from Klaus?" Damon asked frowning.

"Umm... yeah," Jeremy said. "It's pretty inappropriate."

"What does it say?" Damon said, taking the note from Jeremy's hands. He sat down on the bed and read it silently. "I hope you're not seriously going to take him up on that offer."

"No, of course not. That's disgusting," Jeremy said.

"I mean are you getting back together with him?" Damon clarified.

"No," Jeremy said definitively.

"Good," Damon said.

"What difference does it make?" Jeremy said moodily.

"Well I'd prefer if you were available," Damon said.

"Maybe I want to be single," Jeremy said defiantly.

"You like me," Damon said. "I know that." Jeremy groaned. "What?" Damon asked.

"Is this the part where you ask me out?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't really get the impression that's what you want me to do," Damon said frowning.

"If we start dating you're going to hate me," Jeremy said.

"Why would I hate you?" Damon asked, confusion in his voice.

"Because I'm an annoying boyfriend," Jeremy said.

"Klaus didn't seem to think so," Damon said. "Besides you're already annoying enough as a friend."

"Wow don't you make me feel so special," Jeremy said.

"Do you honestly think of me as just a friend?" Damon asked.

"No," Jeremy admitted.

"Great so we're dating now," Damon said.

"I'm too sick for dating," Jeremy complained.

"You're right, you've been my boyfriend for all of two seconds and you're already annoying," Damon teased.

"I hate you," Jeremy said.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here's an extra chapter today because the first one was so short. I hope you like it and review. :)**

* * *

A week later, Jenna had decided it was time for Jeremy to go back to school. Jeremy was less than thrilled, seeming as he still couldn't read or write. How was he going to fake his way through school?

Jeremy got ready fumbling a little. His hands were still weak and shaky, so it was hard for him to zip his jeans. He sighed. What was Jenna thinking? He had brain surgery less than two weeks ago. How was he supposed to be ready to go to school? But she was concerned about him falling behind, so he had to go.

He walked downstairs, already running late but his head hurt and he needed to eat, as hard as it was to do. He had hardly ate anything in the past several weeks. He settled on cereal. Elena came running down the stairs. "Jeremy, come on, we need to go!" Elena had to drive him, considering that he was too weak to walk to school.

"I'm hungry," Jeremy complained.

"Well hurry up then," Elena said impatiently.

"Okay, okay," Jeremy said, finishing up his cereal and drinking the rest of the milk. He grabbed his backpack and walked to the car.

"How are you feeling today?" Elena asked as she belted up and checked her mirrors.

"My head hurts," Jeremy said.

Elena sighed. "Yes, I'm sure it does."

Jeremy sat silently, not looking forward to school. He didn't want to see Damon or Klaus. Damon had come everyday to visit Jeremy, and Jeremy always made an excuse that he was too tired and asked Damon to leave. He was sick of Damon pretending that they were dating. How could Jeremy be dating when he could barely getting out of bed and he had no idea how to read or write. Klaus showed up a couple times too. Klaus seemed to think that Jeremy wanted to get back together with him. That was the last thing Jeremy wanted to do.

"We're here," Elena said cheerfully.

"Great," Jeremy said sarcastically as he pulled his hood up over his wool cap and got out of the car.

Jeremy was relieved when his morning classes consisted of watching videos and taking notes as well as math class where he repeatedly claimed to have completed the homework while the booklet sat untouched next to him without even a name. He pretended to take notes in English and Science and instead doodled on some loose leaf.

He had managed to avoid both of his pretend boyfriends until lunch. He sat down at Elena's table with Bonnie and Caroline. Shortly, Klaus, Damon and Stefan all joined the table. Jeremy banged his head on the table in exasperation.

"Jeremy don't do that!" Elena said horrified.

"Why, because I might get brain damage?" Jeremy joked, but no one laughed. "Tough crowd. No one seems to think I'm funny."

"I thought it was funny," Klaus said

"Me, too," Damon piped up. Stefan just sighed, clearly thinking they were both idiots.

Elena ignored them. "So Jeremy how was your first morning back?"

"Fine," Jeremy said, nibbling on a sandwich, but not feeling very hungry.

"We're all relieved you're recovering so well," Bonnie said.

"I feel like crap and I wish I was dead," Jeremy said.

Bonnie and Elena exchanged worried glances.

"Don't say that," Damon said, frowning. "You don't mean that."

"Maybe I do, and maybe you're the reason that I wish I was dead!" Jeremy said, throwing his sandwich on the ground and hobbling away.

Klaus remained calm but inwardly he was thinking _Jeremy never wished he was dead when he was with me. I think I still have a chance._

"Great, look at what you did," Elena said.

Jeremy walked as fast as he could to the bathroom, which wasn't very fast because he was still weak from the surgery. It was stupid, he knew Damon could follow him there, but he was hoping that for once that Damon and Klaus would just leave him alone.

Elena followed Jeremy into the bathroom. "Jeremy!" she called.

"What, I need to pee!" Jeremy said.

"Talk to me," Elena said. "Tell me you don't really wish you were dead."

"What I wish is that you would leave so that I could pee without you watching," Jeremy said.

"I'm serious, Jer," Elena said. "This isn't funny."

"Fine," Jeremy said. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you suddenly feel this way," Elena said.

"Gee, I don't know maybe it has to do with the whole brain surgery and being bald and the whole Klaus public humiliation thing and Damon being overly clingy and not taking no for an answer, and... our parents died, and our aunt is dating my douche bag history teacher, and Tyler Lockwood punched me in the face..."

"Okay, I get the point, Jer," Elena said.

"No, you don't get the point," Jeremy said. "How could you? And it's not like this is sudden. I'm a messed up kid."

"You're not that messed up, Jeremy," Elena said in a lame attempt to comfort him.

"It's a month into school and I've already been suspended had brain surgery and been publically humiliated in front of the entire school. How is that not messed up?" Jeremy asked, starting to leave the bathroom.

"Wait, Jeremy. I thought you had to pee," Elena said.

"I don't know what you want me to say," Jeremy said. "Do you want me to say that everything's fine?"

"No, that's not what I want," Elena said. "I want..."

"You want to be my therapist," Jeremy finished that sentence for her.

"I just want to be able to talk to you like a normal brother and sister again," Elena said.

"I don't feel like talking," Jeremy said, exiting the washroom.

* * *

Jeremy sat down in history in his usual seat next to Stefan. In about thirty seconds Klaus sat down next to him. Klaus had somehow managed to fall history last year and as a result was in Jeremy's class.

Alaric started talking but Jeremy wasn't listening. His head hurt and he didn't care what Alaric had to say. He laid his head down on the desk.

"Sit up straight, Jeremy," Alaric said.

"I don't know how to do anything straight," Jeremy said, putting his hand up for a high five. He looked at Stefan who clearly had no intentions of high fiving back. So instead Jeremy turned to Klaus who happily accepted the high five.

"Take your hood off, Jeremy," Alaric said, sighing. Jeremy sat up and pulled his hood down, but did not remove his wool cap. Alaric shrugged and moved on. "Now as I was saying. Pop quiz. It's short, you'll only need half an hour or so and then you're to sit quietly and read or work on homework for another class."

_Could this day get any worse? _Jeremy thought. There was no way he could fake his way through a pop quiz. Someone handed him a paper and he stared at it, unable to read anything. He looked at the box where he was supposed to put his name. He remembered what the first letter looked like, so he wrote a J. The rest of his name was a mystery. _Jeremy Gilbert_, he thought._ How would you spell that_? After quite some time of contemplation, he abbreviated his name to _J Gilbs_, hoping that was actually what he was spelling.

He looked at the rest of the test and frowned. He couldn't tell what any of the questions were saying. He decided to just pretend he was writing and scribbling wavy lines that sort of looked like messy writing. After the first person handed their paper in Jeremy did the same, not wanting to pretend to write anymore. Alaric looked briefly at the paper. "_J Gilbs_?" Jeremy smiled happy that he had managed to get at least that much right. "Is that your new gangster name or something?"

"Yes?" Jeremy said.

"Sit down, Jeremy," Alaric said.

Jeremy sat back down, resting his head on the desk until the bell rang. He started to gather up his books, anxious to leave when Alaric said. "Jeremy? Can you come talk to me for a minute?"

The rest of the class filed out and Jeremy waited until everyone left before walking up to the desk. He knew that it couldn't have been good.

"What is this, Jeremy?" Alaric asked. "I know you've been away, but this is some basic stuff. And you haven't even written words, just squiggly lines."

"So?" Jeremy said, shrugging.

"Jeremy are you alright?" Alaric asked. "Jenna told me there was no side effects from the surgery."

"Well clearly she doesn't know then," Jeremy said. "And you'd better not tell her."

"Jeremy, this is kind of serious. Are you seriously not able to write?" Alaric asked.

"I can't read either," Jeremy said.

"I think we should tell Jenna," Alaric said.

"No!" Jeremy almost yelled.

"Fine, then you come to my class at lunch tomorrow, alright?" Alaric said.

"Okay," Jeremy agreed, before leaving, deciding to skip last period altogether.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my sister Vanessa AKA imdrowninginfootwear for reviewing every chapter and helping me write a lot of this stuff.**


	14. Chapter 14

At six that evening, Alaric knocked on the door. Jenna answered the door. "Alaric! Hi, come in. Dinner will be ready in five minutes."

"Great," Alaric said entering. "How's Jeremy?" he asked, secretly thinking he probably knew better than Jenna.

"Jeremy is doing well, I think," said Jenna. "I heard he aced your history test today."

Alaric tried not to show his surprise on his face. "Yeah, his answers really shocked me." Jeremy walked into the room and groaned at the sight of Alaric. Alaric smirked at him, knowing that he had a chance to torture the poor kid.

"I'm going to go finish dinner," Jenna said. "Why don't you catch up with Jeremy?" Jeremy groaned again. "Jeremy could you not act like a jerk for like five minutes?"

"Probably not," Jeremy said, leading Alaric to the dining room where Alaric took a seat next to him.

"I'm not going to tell Jenna," Alaric said.

Jeremy just nodded silently. Elena came downstairs and joined them at the table. "Hi, Mr. Saltzman."

"Please, call me Alaric."

"Okay, Alaric, then," Elena said.

Jenna brought the food into the dining room. "Okay, everybody eat up."

The first part of the dinner was awkwardly quiet. Then Alaric decided to speak up. "So Jeremy, I guess if you've been sick you've been spending a lot of time reading, huh?"

"Jeremy reading?" Jenna said with a laugh. Jeremy just gave Alaric a death glare.

"I got you a get well present," Alaric said reaching into his messenger and pulling out a copy of _Cat in the Hat _and giving it to Jeremy. Elena raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, that's not a weird gift at all," Jenna said. Jeremy simply threw the book directly at Alaric's head. "Jeremy! That is so rude!"

_I deserved that_, Alaric thought making an enormous effort not to laugh at Jeremy's pain.

"Forget it," Jeremy said. "I'm not hungry." He stormed off to his room.

* * *

Damon hadn't been able to concentrate on his classes for the rest of the day. He was hoping that Jeremy's words had been designed to hurt him, not said because they were true. He couldn't stand the thought of Jeremy hurting that much, much less that it was because of him. Damon was laying on the couch miserably, wondering what he could possibly do to fix things.

Stefan walked into the living room. "Move over."

Damon just rolled so that he was no longer facing Stefan. "No."

"We need to talk about this," Stefan said.

"Maybe we need to talk about your drug addiction," Damon said.

"I'm fine," Stefan said in a tone that only he thought was convincing. "You on the other hand are moping on the couch."

Damon rolled off the couch and onto the floor. "Fine, I'll mope on the floor."

"That's pathetic," Stefan said, sitting down on the couch.

"A couple of weeks ago you barely knew who you were. You'd think I would be allowed to be a little sad without your judgement," Damon said, getting up to sit on the couch next to his brother.

"You're not just sad, you're stalking Jeremy," Stefan said. "He has enough on his plate without dealing with that."

"What am I supposed to do?" Damon asked. "Leave him alone to be suicidal by himself?"

"Well according to him, he wouldn't be suicidal if you left him alone," Stefan said.

"I can't just never see him again," Damon said. "I like him more than I liked anyone before. Even Brian."

"Brian was a self-obsessed jerk who had a girlfriend," Stefan pointed out. "And that bitch got you kicked out of school."

"Jeremy's different," Damon said. "I guess I was stupid to think he liked me back."

"Maybe he would like you if you're weren't so clingy," Stefan suggested.

"Everything was fine until I asked him out and then things got weird," Damon said.

"Maybe he just thinks of you as a friend," Stefan said.

"He said he didn't," Damon said.

"Does that mean you're not friends or that he thinks of you as more than a friend?" Stefan asked.

Damon frowned. "I swore he said he liked me as more than friends. Except now he's been avoiding me ever since."

"You probably said something stupid," Stefan said.

"I think maybe he just likes to be controversial," Damon said.

"You mean like he actually likes you, but is acting like he doesn't... because..." Stefan said, unable to finish his sentence.

"It's Jeremy," Damon said. "Who knows why he does anything?"

"He is kind of acting like a ten year old that has a crush on you," Stefan said.

"So, what do I do?" Damon asked.

"Apologize for being too pushy and say you'll never bother him again," Stefan said. "Then you just have to wait until he changes his mind."

"That sounds like an awful plan," Damon commented.

"Well, what's your plan?" Stefan countered. "Badger him until he hates you?"

"Okay, okay," Damon said. "I'll try it."

"Call him," Stefan demanded.

"Right now?" Damon asked. Stefan nodded. Damon pulled out his phone and dialled Jeremy's number.

"Hello?" Jeremy said. His voice was none to pleased.

"Hi, it's Damon. I called to apologize for being too pushy and say I'll never bother you again," Damon said, directly quoting his brother. Stefan gave a thumbs up sign.

"It's okay," Jeremy said. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"You don't really wish you were dead, do you?" Damon asked.

"Not usually," Jeremy said. "But I can't date you Damon."

"Why?" Damon asked forgetting that he was supposed to stop bothering Jeremy.

There was a long silence before Jeremy answered. "I'm too dumb."

"That is the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Damon said unsympathetically.

"Damon I don't even know how to read, how am I supposed to be in a mature relationship?" Jeremy almost yelled into the phone.

"Wait... What?" Damon asked, confused.

"I said, I don't know how to read," Jeremy said. "I can't even write my own name."

"I thought you were fine," Damon said. "I thought there was no brain damage."

"Well clearly you were wrong," Jeremy said.

"Is it permanent?" Damon asked. "Or are you never going to be able to again?"

"I don't know," Jeremy said.

"I guess that's why you were upset and it isn't my fault?" Damon said hopefully.

"You've been pretty annoying," Jeremy responded.

"But you actually like me?" Damon asked.

"...yeah."

"But you don't want to date me because you're brain damaged?" Damon asked.

"Pretty much."

"Brain damaged?" Stefan asked.

"Shut up, Stefan," Damon said. "It's not like I'm not going to love you because you're stupid," Damon said. Stefan groaned. Damon didn't seem to realize the significance of what he had said.

"You love me?" Jeremy asked.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, I had to leave it at that cliffhanger! I hope you liked it. I hope to update tomorrow. Thanks for reading. :)**


	15. Chapter 15

"I didn't say that," Damon said confusion registering on his face.

"Yes, you did," Stefan said, standing up and staring at Damon. Jeremy stayed quiet.

"Umm... I meant as friends?" Damon tried.

"Clearly you didn't," Stefan said. Jeremy still didn't say a word.

"Can we just forget that I said that?" Damon asked hopefully.

"Did he hang up?" Stefan asked, pacing around the room.

"Jer?"

"You called me stupid," Jeremy accused.

"No you said you were stupid, and I just agreed with you," Damon said, feeling pretty stupid himself.

"Like that's any better!" Jeremy said.

"Jeremy you don't know how to read, that's pretty stupid," Damon pointed out and immediately wished he hadn't.

"What?" Stefan asked. "He can't read?"

"You're such a douche, Damon!" Jeremy said before hanging up.

"Well that went well," Damon said, putting his phone back into his pocket.

* * *

Jeremy sat alone in his room, wondering why Damon had to be such an ass. Like he wasn't already having enough problems without being called stupid. Elena walked into the room. "Hi, Jeremy. How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic," Jeremy said sarcastically.

"Jeremy... What you said to Damon today, really got me worried," Elena said.

"He called me stupid," Jeremy complained.

Elena frowned. "Why would he say that?"

"Because he's a jerk," Jeremy said.

"Well, I'll have to talk to him," Elena said. "But first I have to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk, Elena," Jeremy said. "I already told you that at lunch."

"I guess I was hoping you had changed your mind," Elena said.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" Jeremy asked.

"Because I love you, Jer," Elena said.

"Could everyone just stop telling me they love me?" Jeremy said exasperatedly.

"Who else told you they loved you?" Elena asked.

"Damon," Jeremy said. "Pretty much in the same breath he called me stupid."

"Maybe he didn't really mean it," Elena suggested. "If he loves you, he can't think you're that stupid."

"It's not like I'm not going to love you because you're stupid," Jeremy repeated. "That's what he said to me."

"Why the hell would he say that?" Elena said angrily. "I'm going to go over there and talk to him, right now."

"Wait, Elena!" Jeremy said. "Please don't."

"Jeremy you're not stupid, you deserve better than someone who is going to treat you like that," Elena said.

"I know," Jeremy said. "Just leave it alone."

"I don't want to. I'm going to the Salvatore house right now."

"Fine," Jeremy said. "I'm not coming, you deal with him."

"I will deal with him," Elena said cracking her knuckles.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Elena knocked on the Salvatore door. Giuseppe answered. "Yes?"

"Is Damon here?" Elena asked.

Giuseppe frowned. "Damon doesn't like girls, why do you want to talk to him?"

"I need to talk to him in regards to something he said to my brother," Elena said.

"He's in his room," Giuseppe said. "Up the stairs second door to the left."

Elena walked up the stairs and knocked on Damon's door. "Stefan, go away!" Damon called out. "I'm watching gay porn."

"It's Elena Gilbert," Elena yelled into the door.

Damon opened the door. Much to Elena's relief, he was not watching porn but watching Lost. "What do you want?" Elena slapped him hard right across the face. "What was that for?"

"You called Jeremy stupid?" Elena asked.

"I didn't mean to call him stupid, it just sort of slipped out," Damon said.

"Jeremy isn't stupid," Elena said. "How dare you talk to him like that?"

"I take it you don't know?" Damon said.

"Don't know what?" Elena asked.

"Jeremy has brain damage," Damon said. "He can't read anymore."

"What?" Elena said. She suddenly felt faint. She sat down on Damon's bed. "You're kidding, right?"

"That's what he told me," Damon said. "Unless he's making it up for attention."

"Jeremy wouldn't do that," Elena said, sure of herself. "He's better than that."

"Then he can't read," Damon said simply.

"That's still no reason to call him stupid," Elena said, but her anger had somewhat faded now. It was being replaced with worry.

"What I meant to say was, I'm not going to stop loving you because you're brain damaged," Damon said, wondering why he hadn't said that the first time.

"Yeah, well that's not what you said, is it?" Elena said. She didn't know whether she was supposed to be mad at Damon anymore or not. She decided to let Jeremy decide for her. "I have to go home."

* * *

Jeremy laid in his bed, wondering what Damon would tell Elena. He was certain Damon would tell her about the brain damage. He would defend himself. Besides, Jeremy hadn't told him not to tell Elena. Jeremy cursed himself, wishing he had. Why had he trusted Damon in the first place with that secret? He hated Damon. He hated all the things Damon had said to him. And most of all he hated that deep down, he loved Damon. Jeremy sighed and got up out of bed. He was stiff and sore from spending so much time in bed. He walked downstairs and saw that Alaric and Jenna were watching a movie together. He didn't want to interrupt their date so he went to the kitchen and found a Hot Pocket to eat.

Elena walked into the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?" Jeremy said, his voice raised slightly.

"Jeremy, you could have told me," Elena said, almost yelling. "I'm your sister. You don't tell me anything anymore!"

Jenna came into the kitchen. "What are we yelling about?"

"Jeremy has brain damage and he never told me," Elena said.

"What?" Jenna said, surprised. "How do you know you have brain damage Jeremy?"

"Well the fact that I can no longer read was a pretty solid clue," Jeremy said.

"You can't read?" Jenna said. "Oh my God, Jeremy why didn't you tell me?" Alaric entered the kitchen and stood there awkwardly. "How did you supposedly ace your history test if you can't read?"

Alaric decided that was a good time for him to leave. "You knew," Jenna said accusingly. "And you didn't tell me."

"Jenna, I can explain..." Alaric said.

"I think it would be best if you just left," Jenna said.

"Okay," Alaric said.

Jeremy grabbed his Hot Pocket, which was getting cold and took a bite of it.

"We'll have to send you to special school," Jenna said.

"Great, I get to ride the short bus," Jeremy said sarcastically.

"Don't they have Special Needs teachers in our high school?" Elena asked.

"We'll have to call the doctor tomorrow," Jenna said. "Jeremy, I can't believe you didn't realize how serious this was."

"Maybe I didn't want to go to Special Ed," Jeremy said.

"Well, you're going to have to learn to read," Elena said. "You can't just get by without it."

Jeremy sighed. "I'm going to my room."

* * *

**A/N: I have bad writer's block. :( I hope you guys are still reading this. Reviews are much appreciated.**


	16. Chapter 16

The next day Damon went to school. Klaus was in his first class which was gym. They were warming up, tossing basketballs into nets. "Hey," Damon said, walking up to Klaus.

"What do you want?" Klaus asked.

"To tell you to stay away from Jeremy," Damon said. "He has enough to deal with without your crap."

"He wants me around," Klaus countered.

"No, he doesn't," Damon said.

"Then why did he give me hand action yesterday?" Klaus asked, shooting a basket. Damon threw a basketball straight into Klaus's face. "Ow!"

Damon simply walked away. Did Jeremy really give Klaus hand action? Damon desperately wanted to believe that Klaus was lying.

* * *

Jeremy skipped school to go to the doctor's office. When the doctor had checked him out and given him an MRI he was given the okay to go home. Jenna let him stay at home for the rest of the day, not knowing what he could possibly accomplish at school. Jeremy sat in his room, with The Cat in the Hat in hand. He still couldn't so much as read the title. He knew it was supposed to say Cat in the Hat, but it looked as if it were written in a foreign language.

When Elena came home she entered Jeremy's room. "Hey, Jeremy. What are you up to?"

"Trying to read," Jeremy said. "It isn't working."

Elena sat down next to him. "Do you have a notebook?" Jeremy got up and found a notebook and a pen. Elena wrote one simple letter down. "This is the letter A," she said.

"I knew that," Jeremy lied.

"Do you know what A sounds like?" Elena asked.

"Like a," Jeremy said sarcastically.

"Or ah," Elena said. "Like Elen-ah."

"Okay," Jeremy said. He was pretending to be mad but secretly he was glad his sister was helping him with this stuff.

"What letter comes next?" Elena asked.

"I don't know," Jeremy admitted.

"B," Elena said, writing it down in capital and lowercase letters.

"Okay," Jeremy said. "Like in J Gilbs."

"J Gilbs?" Elena asked confused.

"It's easier to write than my name," Jeremy explained.

"Okay," Elena said trying not to laugh. "You want to learn the rest?"

"Yes please," Jeremy said.

* * *

Damon sat at home in the living room next to Stefan, using all of his willpower not to call Jeremy. He wanted to apologize so badly. But Stefan had insisted that it was a horrible idea. "I'll call him for like five minutes," Damon said.

"And say what?" Stefan asked.

"That I'm sorry," Damon said.

"For calling him an idiot?" Stefan asked.

"For calling him _stupid_," Damon said.

"He doesn't want to hear it," Stefan said.

"How do you know are you his fairy godmother?" Damon asked.

"I think I know a thing or two about men's feelings," Stefan said.

"How would you know?" Damon said. "Have you ever successfully dated one?"

"Have you?" Stefan countered.

"Shut up," Damon said. "I'm calling him." Stefan just groaned.

Damon dialled Jeremy's number. "Hey, Jeremy?"

"What do you want?" Jeremy said.

"I called to apologize," Damon started.

Damon could hear Jeremy sigh through the phone. "You're going to have to do better than that."

"You're not stupid, I'm very stupid, please forgive me," Damon tried.

"Elena's not going to let me date someone who is so mean to me," Jeremy said.

"So now you want to date me?" Was what Damon got out of that.

"I trusted you with my secret and all you did was make fun of me," Jeremy said.

"Jeremy, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Damon said. "I don't know what to say to make things better."

"Do you have any idea how embarrassing not being able to read was without you making fun of me?" Jeremy asked. "And you made it a hundred times worse."

"I know," was all Damon could think of to say. Jeremy didn't say anything, but Damon could hear him crying on the other end of the phone. "Jer?"

"I just wanted to be a normal high school student," Jeremy said. "I don't want to deal with any of this."

"You mean you don't want to deal with me?" Damon asked.

"I want to be able to go to regular classes. I want to be able to walk down the hall without someone calling me a fag, I want..." Jeremy trailed off.

"Me to leave you alone?" Damon said filling in the blanks for himself.

Jeremy stayed quiet for an unnervingly long time. "I want to be able to trust you."

"And I fucked up everything," Damon finished.

"I've been thinking about that other thing you said," Jeremy said.

Damon went back in his mind wondering what the other thing he had said was. Why did he have to say so many stupid things? Maybe it would be better for Jeremy if they weren't together at all. "What other thing?" Damon asked.

"The love thing," Jeremy said.

_Oh, crap_, Damon thought. He had forgot about that. _Way to stop being clingy. _"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."

"Did you mean it?" Jeremy asked.

Damon bit his lip. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't want to lie to Jeremy either. "Yeah."

"Okay," Jeremy said.

"Okay?" Damon asked. "What does that mean?"

"I guess I love you, too," Jeremy said.

"You guess?" Damon said. "That's not something you say if you're not sure."

"Okay, I love you," Jeremy said. "But I also sometimes aggressively don't like you."

"Thanks, I think?" Damon said, but in reality he had never been happier in his life. Jeremy loved him. Even through everything that was wrong, that much was real. It had to be real.

"What's going on?" Stefan asked. Damon just ignored him.

"I have to go to Special Ed," Jeremy randomly blurted out.

"How long can it take to learn how to read?" Damon asked.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to again," Jeremy said. "It's like that part of my brain is missing. Elena tried to teach me some, but I already forget everything."

"Never?" Damon asked. He tried to think of what it would be like to go through life without being able to read. Would he ever be able to get a job?

"Maybe," Jeremy said.

"I can try to teach you," Damon offered.

"I can write _J Gilbs_ and that's all I can write," Jeremy said. "It's like I'm dumber than a kindergarten student."

"You're still smart," Damon said. "You just don't know how to write."

"Or read," Jeremy said. "Which means I can hardly do anything."

"Have you considered a career in professional sports?" Damon joked.

"You clearly haven't seen me in gym class," Jeremy said. "At least I can probably maintain an A+ in art."

"You're in art?" Damon asked.

"Yeah," Jeremy said. "I like to draw." Damon hadn't known that. What else did he not know about Jeremy?

"So what now?" Damon asked.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow?" Jeremy said.

"Yeah, okay," Damon said. "Talk to you tomorrow, love you."

Stefan had the most exasperated look on his face that Damon had ever seen.

"Whatever," Jeremy said before hanging up.

* * *

**A/N: This might be the cutest thing I've ever written. Is anyone besides my sister still reading this? She's the only one who has been reviewing...**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Charlie-Rose94, BurningChaos21, Dragonfir3, Debbie1689, imdrowninginfootwear, fdecastrolopez, XxTheDeadlyBlackxX, and leon768 for reviewing the last chapter. You guys really cheered me up, I loved seeing all the reviews. I would also like to apologize for something Jeremy says in this chapter that is offensive. I'm sorry guys. . **

* * *

Stefan listened in on the conversation Damon was having with Jeremy. Even Damon was starting to resolve his issues. Maybe it was time for Stefan to finally admit that he had a problem. Stefan went up to his room and found all his drug paraphernalia and put it in a plastic bag. Now to get rid of it. Where could he put it that Giuseppe wouldn't find it? The garbage wouldn't work. That was too obvious. He could hide it somewhere in the house, but then it was easily retrievable should he change his mind. Stefan took a walk into town and found a dumpster and dumped the bag. _There, that should do it_, he thought. He went into his phone and deleted his dealer's number. He knew that it was all a futile attempt. If he wanted to find drugs again, he was going to find them again. He just had to try to quit and hope that it stuck.

* * *

In Special Ed, Jeremy was assigned a para to teach him to read. She spent the morning trying to teach him, but Jeremy had the distinct feeling that nothing would stick. Jeremy was relieved when it was time for lunch, even if that meant dealing with Damon and probably Klaus.

Jeremy saw Stefan and Damon sitting at a table by themselves, and he decided to join them. He took a seat next to Damon. "Hi."

"Hi," Damon said.

"Well this isn't awkward at all," Stefan said.

"It hasn't even had a chance to get awkward yet," Jeremy argued.

"I meant because I'm the third wheel," Stefan amended.

"It's alright," Jeremy said.

"How's Special Ed?" Damon asked.

"Hard," Jeremy said. "And I feel like an idiot."

"I'm sure you'll be reading again in no time," Stefan said.

Klaus walked over and took a seat next to Stefan. "Hey, Jeremy. Where were you yesterday?"

"At the doctor," Jeremy said.

"So just to clear things up, Jeremy you did not give Klaus hand action the other day, did you?" Stefan asked.

"What?" Jeremy said, nearly spitting out his sandwich.

"Yes, he did," Klaus said.

"Why would you lie about something like that?" Jeremy asked. "You know no one's going to believe you."

"I'm not lying. You high fived me," Klaus argued.

Jeremy vaguely remembered high fiving Klaus but couldn't recall why. "That's not hand action, you retard!"

Tyler walked over to their table. "Who are you calling a retard?" he asked. "You're the one who's in Special Ed."

"You're in Special Ed?" Klaus asked confused.

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Damon asked.

"You get your boyfriend to fight all your battles for you, huh?" Tyler asked.

"Damon's not his boyfriend, right Jeremy?" Klaus asked.

Damon, Stefan, Klaus, and Tyler all stared at Jeremy waiting for an answer. Jeremy sat quietly for a minute before saying, "Damon is my boyfriend."

"Really?" Damon asked.

Jeremy just shrugged. "Do you want me to change my mind?"

"Whatever, you guys aren't worth it," Tyler said, walking away.

"So are you going to go to the dance together, then?" Stefan asked. Damon glared at him.

"Yeah, because I'm in such good shape for dancing," Jeremy said.

"God, Stefan you're so insensitive," Damon said, smirking.

"But yeah, if you want we could go," Jeremy said. Now it was Stefan's turn to smirk.

"Sure?" Damon said.

"Stefan do you have a date for the dance?" Klaus asked.

Stefan didn't seem to notice what Klaus was implying. "No, I'm not sure if I'm going."

"Well, I would go with you if you wanted," Klaus suggested.

"What?" Stefan said in disgust. "Why the hell would you think I'd want to go to the dance with you?"

"I just thought..." Klaus said.

"Well you thought wrong!" Stefan yelled, getting up and leaving the table.

"Wow, somebody's overreacting," Damon said.

"What did I do?" Klaus asked.

"Weren't you trying to get back with Jeremy like two seconds ago?" Damon asked. "You sure moved on quick."

"Well it's not exactly like he's available," Klaus pointed out.

"Good," Jeremy said. "Please move on and go bother Stefan."

"Or bother someone else entirely," Damon suggested. "Maybe someone who's actually interested in you. If you can find someone like that."

"I'm going to go talk to Stefan," Klaus decided out loud.

"Great," Jeremy said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Damon said. "He's already mad enough." Klaus got up anyway to go chase after Stefan. "Well, now we're alone," Damon said, wrapping an arm around Jeremy.

* * *

Klaus found Stefan in the back corner of the library. He took a seat next to Stefan who was reading _Paradise Lost_. "Hey," Klaus said.

"Go away," Stefan hissed.

"What did I do?" Klaus asked.

"Why did you ask me out?" Stefan whispered. "You know I'm not gay."

"Are you sure?" Klaus asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Stefan said defensively.

"I didn't know," Klaus said. "Why does it bother you so much anyway?"

Stefan sighed, putting his book down. "I just don't want people to think I'm gay, alright?"

"That's offensive," Klaus said.

"I can't help it," Stefan said. "My dad treats Damon like crap because he's gay. I don't want to have to deal with that."

"So you won't own up to it because you don't want to be mocked," Klaus inferred.

"You owned up to it, how did that turn out for you?" Stefan said.

"You're making a huge mistake," Klaus said. "Living a lie."

"I'm fine," Stefan said.


	18. Chapter 18

After school Jeremy went over to Damon's house. Damon went into Stefan's room and picked the easiest looking book he could find, which turned out to be _Lord of the Flies_. He went to the living room and gave Jeremy the book. "You know there's no way I'm going to be able to read this, right?" Jeremy said.

"You will when I'm done with you," Damon said winking.

"Someone's confident in their teaching abilities," Jeremy said. "Have you ever taught someone to read before?"

"Well, no but..." Damon said.

"It's not really that fun," Jeremy said.

"What's the title?" Damon asked.

Jeremy looked at the book. He could not read the title. He pointed at the I in flies, "That's an I... and..."

"You really don't know how to read, do you?" Damon said.

"Of course I know how to read, I just thought it would be hilarious to go to Special Ed," Jeremy said sarcastically.

Damon sat next to Jeremy on the couch. "It's _Lord of the Flies_."

"That's not how you teach someone to read, Damon!" Jeremy said.

"Well, how am I supposed to?" Damon asked.

Jeremy bit his lip. "Will you teach me to write my name?"

"Okay," Damon agreed. Jeremy pulled a notebook and pen out of his backpack. "It starts with _J_," Damon said, writing a capital J.

"I know that," Jeremy said, but that was all he knew.

"Then what comes next if you're so smart?" Damon asked.

"_G_," Jeremy said.

"No," Damon said trying to be polite. "_E_," he said, writing a lowercase e.

"I always forget that one," Jeremy said.

"Then _r, _another _e_, _m, _and _y_," Damon said.

"You're going too fast," Jeremy complained.

"That's what he said," Damon said, very maturely. "Just try writing it."

Jeremy confidently wrote a _ J. _He managed an _e_ but he couldn't remember which letter came next. "This is stupid," he said.

"Maybe we should try something easier?" Damon suggested. "Try writing my name." Damon wrote his name in clearly visible letters. "This one's a _D_. That's an _a, m, o, _and n."

Jeremy took the pen and wrote _Damn_. "Very funny," Damon said.

"What?" Jeremy asked.

"You're just fucking with me aren't you?" Damon asked, starting to get angry.

"I don't know why you're mad at me," Jeremy said.

"Seriously?" Damon asked. "You seriously don't know what that says."

"Well, I'm guessing it doesn't say Damon," Jeremy said.

"It says Damn," Damon said.

"Damon I spent all day trying to learn to read, I don't feel like it anymore," Jeremy said.

"Okay," Damon agreed, secretly pleased that he didn't have to be a teacher anymore. "What do you want to do then?"

Jeremy threw his notebook on the ground and leaned in closer to Damon. "What do you want to do?"

"Why are you throwing shit?" Damon asked.

"Because I'm frustrated!" Jeremy said.

"I don't know why you're mad at me," Damon said, using Jeremy's own words against him.

Jeremy groaned. "Not that kind of frustrated."

"Come again?" Damon said, clearly having no idea what was going on.

"_Sexually_ frustrated," Jeremy said.

"What?" Damon said, extremely surprised that he had a chance of getting laid.

Jeremy rolled his eyes. He grabbed Damon's face and pushed their lips together hard, before sliding his tongue in.

That was when the doorbell rang. Damon ignored it, assuming someone else would get it, or worst case no one got it. But whoever was there just kept ringing the doorbell over and over again. Damon walked to the door muttering curses under his breath. He opened the door and saw who was standing on the other side.

It was Brian.

"Go away, I'm busy," Damon said, moving to close the door.

"Is Stefan here?" Brian asked.

"Stefan?" Damon asked confused. Why would Brian care where Stefan was?

"Yeah, I'm looking for him," Brian said.

"He's probably out doing drugs or something," Damon said.

"I feel responsible for that," Brian said.

"How the hell are you responsible?" Damon asked, not putting two and two together.

"Stefan and I had a thing going, and I broke it off..." Brian said with a shrug.

"You were doing my brother?" Damon asked, full of rage.

"Hey..." Brian started, but Damon slammed the door in his face.

Damon went back and sat down on the couch next to Jeremy. "Who was that?" Jeremy asked.

"Just somebody that I used to know," Damon said. "Apparently, Stefan knew him pretty well, too."

"Stefan's ex?" Jeremy inferred.

"I guess," Damon said. "I had no idea they were together."

"At the same time you were with him?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know," Damon said.

Jeremy picked up his notebook and put it into his bag. "I'm not really in the mood anymore."

"I'm sorry," Damon said. Why had Brian had to have shown up here? Why did he have to ruin his moment with Jeremy? And how could Damon explain to Jeremy that Brian didn't matter at all, not anymore?

"It's fine," Jeremy said. "It's not like I don't have a past."

Damon wasn't sure to say to that either so he just nodded. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, Brian didn't reciprocate oral sex either."

Jeremy began to laugh hysterically. When he finally stopped laughing he said, "Men are jerks."

"You're not a jerk," Damon said.

"Well, you're kind of a jerk," Jeremy said.

"And you're really needy," Damon said, tickling Jeremy's ribs.

Jeremy struggled against the tickles and laughed. "Well you're really clingy."

Damon straddled Jeremy's waist, holding him down and tickling him more. Jeremy tickled back until somehow they were a tangle of limbs together their faces meeting in an awkward kiss.

The door opened. Damon immediately rose to his feet moving away from Jeremy. "Dad?"

* * *

**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. It's one of my favorites. Reviews are appreciated. Have a nice day.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I know this chapter is very short. I have spent many hours staring at this word document trying to push through the pain. But I really struggled with this chapter and I felt like it naturally ended there. I don't intend to have more chapters this short, but this was the best I could do with this one without me rage-quitting the entire story.**

* * *

"What the hell?" Giuseppe said. Jeremy sat up on the couch looking at Damon who looked more than a little scared.

"Sorry, I was just leaving," Jeremy muttered grabbing his backpack.

"You don't have to leave," Damon said.

Jeremy suddenly wondered what would happen to Damon if he did leave. How mad would his father be? "Maybe we should just go upstairs."

"Okay," Damon said.

"Leave the door open," Giuseppe said glaring at the boys.

"That was awkward," Jeremy said when they got to Damon's room.

"He's not exactly thrilled that I'm gay," Damon said, taking a seat on the bed.

"I'm lucky, Jenna doesn't care," Jeremy said, taking a seat at Damon's desk.

"I wouldn't exactly call not having parents lucky," Damon said.

"Yeah, I miss them a lot," Jeremy said. "They didn't mind that I was gay either. My mom was really supportive."

"When did they die?" Damon asked.

"A year ago," Jeremy said.

"My mom died when I was ten," Damon said. "Eventually it gets easier."

"It's just hard," Jeremy said. "I just keep thinking of what she'd be doing if she were here."

"I bet she'd be able to teach you to read," Damon said.

"Yeah," Jeremy said sadly.

* * *

Against his better judgement, Stefan was at the Mystic Grill with Klaus. It was awkwardly quiet. "So, Kol's kind of alright," Stefan said.

"Alright?" Klaus said. "He's the best damn brother I've ever had."

"You only have one brother, right?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah," Klaus said. "So, Damon's kind of a jerk."

"You posted naked pictures of your ex all over the school, do you really have the right to judge?" Stefan said.

"Did we just come here to argue?" Klaus said.

"I don't know, why did you ask me here, anyway?" Stefan asked.

Klaus leaned in close and whispered. "To try to convince you to come out of the closet."

"It's not going to happen," Stefan said frowning as he took a sip of his Diet Coke.

* * *

"Why?" Klaus said. "What does your dad do to Damon that's so bad?"

"You, alright?" Damon asked Jeremy who appeared to be sleeping on Damon's desk.

Jeremy sat up. "I'm okay, just a headache."

"You want me to drive you home?" Damon asked, not really wanting Jeremy to leave.

"Okay," Jeremy agreed.

Damon drove Jeremy home in silence. At first Damon thought maybe Jeremy was just in a bad mood, but he looked genuinely sick. Damon pulled up at Jeremy's driveway. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"I think I just need a nap," Jeremy said, undoing his seat belt. Damon got out and walked him to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Damon asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Jeremy said.

"Good night," Damon said, awkwardly standing there not knowing if he should go for a kiss or a hug.

"It's like six o'clock," Jeremy pointed out.

"Well am I going to see you again before night?" Damon challenged.

"You're being clingy again," Jeremy said.

"Jer, I have no idea what I'm supposed to say or do right now," Damon said.

"Kiss me," Jeremy said.

Damon did as he was told without an instant of hesitation.


End file.
